Honey from Tanahu reaching international market brings cheers to beekeepers

Damauli (Tanahu), March 26: Bee farmers in Tanahu are elated as the honey produced in the district has found international market.

As the honey produced in Thaprek and Dagam of Shuklagandaki Municipality-1 here began to be marketed internationally, the local farmers have become excited and are increasingly attracted to beekeeping.

Surya Nepal Pvt. Ltd.'s Himalayan Treasure has started purchasing honey produced here from farmers and marketing it. In the initial phase, two thousand one hundred kilogrammes honey has been purchased at a rate of Rs 2,000 per kilogramme.

The company has also been distributing coffee plants to farmers as part of its social responsibility programme and promoting a multi-dimensional agricultural system, and it is believed this will help farmers diversify their sources of income.

Suraj Wagle, a bee farmer from Thaprek, said that they have been motivated after the honey they produced entered the global market.

"It is a matter of great pleasure that our product has entered the international market. If the market expands further, it will help farmers to continue in this profession," he said.

According to Wagle, more than 500 farmers are engaged in beekeeping in this area.

The beekeeping programme implemented under the National Agricultural Modernisation Programme (formerly the Prime Minister's Agricultural Modernisation Project) has played a significant role in expanding commercial beekeeping in this area. Initially started with 10 farmers, the programme has now reached five hundred.

Wagle currently has 25 beehives and he plans to increase the number of hives to 200 in the coming days. “The value and market of honey are both improving, so I am thinking of increasing production by investing more,” he said.

A leading farmer of the area, Nandu Thapa Magar, said that the marketing of honey produced here abroad is a great joy for farmers.

"There is good demand abroad for honey produced here. Beekeeping is the main source of income for farmers, and every household here has beehives. Marketing will attract more farmers towards beekeeping," he said.

Dr Swarnim Wagle, Vice President of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Member of Parliament elected from Tanahun Constituency No. 1, highlighted that the 'Katus' honey produced in Tanahu has reached the international market, presenting it as an important example of Nepal's economic potential.

Taking to social media, Wagle, the MP, said that the honey produced in the area has started selling in the global market under the brand name - 'Marani Chestnut Honey', and highlighted the potential to establish Nepali products at an international level with high value.

Wagle has praised the role of the 'Himalayan Treasure' brand under Surya Nepal in reaching the global market through unique processing, quality testing, modern packaging, and effective marketing of Nepali products.

To ensure the quality of honey, Surya Nepal Pvt. Ltd. has been testing honey collected from various flower sources every month. In this process, the honey collected from Katus Forest in the month of Kartik (mid-October to mid-November) has been found to be of high quality and deemed suitable for the international market. (RSS)