Wildfires, mites affecting honey collection

By Rabindra Upreti,Bardibas, Apr. 29: Honey farmers, who had reached Mahottari district's forests with honey bees of mellifera species, could not collect as much honey as they had expected due to persistently raging wildfire.

Alongside wildfire, farmers informed that infection in the bees and climate change had affected honey collection this time.

A group of honey farmers from 13 families from Khairahani of Chitwan had come to Madhes Province with 2,000 beehives of mellifera species.

They had expected to collect 35-40,000 kilograms of honey worth 

around Rs. 20 million from the wild of Mahottari district. The expectation was a result of the collection they made  last year.

"We only collected 425 buckets of honey. Each bucket contains 30 kilograms, amounting to a total  collection of 12,000 kilograms," said Suresh Basnet, one of the honey farmers who was collecting honey from Bardibas' forest.

The current rate of the honey is Rs. 500 per kilogram in the market.

"The recent collection was 70 per cent less than the last year's. If the authorities had prevented or extinguished the wildfire, we would not have returned with less honey," said Suresh.

Basnet alone had 130 beehives and had planned to collect at least 80 buckets of honey (2,400 kilograms); however, he only collected 53 buckets (1,500 kilograms).

Similarly, another honey farmer Krishna Basnet, who was preparing to return to Chitwan 

Thursday evening with 93 beehives from Ramnagar's forest, said that he could not earn the amount he invested to come to Mahottari from the honey he collected.

"I had come with an aim to collect 40 buckets (1,200 kilograms) of honey, but I am returning with only 11 buckets (330 kilorgams)," said Krishna.

Likewise, Gyan Bahadur Basnet and Narayan Karki were also aiming for 30 buckets each but ended up with only eight buckets each.

"The collection was going great in the first phase. However, for the last 20-22 days, wildfire continued expanding, affecting honey bees," said Suresh.

Within a month’s time, the farmers planned to collect the honey in three phases. They came to Mahottari in April.

"During the last two phases, honey bees did not leave their hives due to smoke across the forests. The bees were also infected with mites, and unseasonal rain affected us further," said Suresh. 

Chitwan's bee farmers have been using Mahottari's forests and fruit orchards as a bee grazing site for a decade now.