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Plans to boost beekeeping in South Africa

HONEY JACKPOT: A beekeeper at work in an industry that is set to boom in South Africa. Pic. Chester Makana. © Sowetan.
HONEY JACKPOT: A beekeeper at work in an industry that is set to boom in South Africa. Pic. Chester Makana. © Sowetan.

Chester Makana

Chester Makana

Africa's leading beekeeping company is planning to accelerate the production of honey in South Africa to meet national and international demand.

Loriam Ngcobo, public relations director of the Bee Foundation, said the company would build hundreds of honey production plants for bee farmers in Limpopo to support local farmers.

"We want to process honey locally as this is a long-term project. We also want production to be done locally," Ngcobo said.

More than 500 bee farmers are expected to harvest in August in the Vhembe district and the plants are expected to be built as soon as the harvest is completed.

Ngcobo said there was a big demand for honey since the banning of Chinese honey in the international market.

"South Africa can also be one of the suppliers, but only if more resources are made available," he said.

"Our honey is purely organic and we hope that if there is investment in bee farming, it will help boost the gross national product and create jobs," Ngcobo said.

He said South Africans consumed about 3000 tons of honey a year. The foundation believes the country has the potential to produce 100000 tons a year.

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