Beekeepers at a successful two days of BeeKeeping Level 1 Training at Cegu Valley Farm. Picture: JOSHUA PRASAD/FACEBOOK
Total honey production for 2021 stood at 255 tonnes. This was highlighted by Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy during the handover of improved bee genetics, solar wax melter and wax embossing machine at the Legalega Research Station in Nadi on Thursday.
“There is a total of 1258 farmers in Fiji who has 13,906 bee hives,” he said.
Dr Reddy said out of the 20 imported pure Italian strain of queen bees from Australia, 10 would be given to Fiji Beekeepers Association while 10 would be for the Ministry of Agriculture. “Improved bee genetics would boost our honey production and income.
“The solar wax melter would help farmers process all the wax produced at your farm while the wax embossing machine would enable farmers to use their own wax and produce the foundation sheets for their own use and sale.”
He said the ministry was anticipating that through this initiative, the apiculturists would upscale their production.
“We want farmers to achieve higher honey production per hive and also increase wax production, which would bring in additional income.”
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Copyright © 2022 Fiji Times Limited. All Rights Reserved.