Sabah can help offset honey bill

Kudat: Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail, said local farmers should consider venturing into honey production to offset imports of related products.He described honey as a lucrative commodity that should be given serious consideration, considering that Malaysia imported some 2,520 metric tonnes of honey worth RM17.6 million last year and Sabah imported 49 metric tonnes worth RM1 million during the same period.

Of last year's overall import volume, Malaysia spent RM5 million on imports from Australia, followed by China (RM4.4 million), New Zealand (RM3.5 million), United States (RM1.6 million) and Vietnam (RM40,000).

Rahim said this during the distribution of equipment related to the honey production industry to selected farmers drawn from the Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas districts, at Dewan Upko in Matunggong, near here, Monday morning.

These imports reflected insufficient local supply to meet demand, and thus the locals should take advantage of a lucrative market for honey, particularly in Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas districts where the environment is suitable for honey bee farming, he added.

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Based on the Rural Development Corporation (KPD) experience in honey bee farming, feasible planning had been made to produce some 200 entrepreneurs actively involved in the honey production industry with at least 500 hives by the year 2010, Rahim said.

Such consideration was in line with the Government's Halatuju and State Second Agriculture Policy (1999-2010), with an aspiration to make Malaysia one of the major honey producers in the world, he added.

Citing an example, he pointed out that Vietnam's honey industry produces 16,000 metric tonnes worth US$20 million (about RM 75 million) a year.

According to him, the honey bee species apis cerena is unique, thriving on acacia trees, coconut plantations and pristine jungles for its food and nectar, available mainly in Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas.

In this respect, the people should refrain from indiscriminate felling of trees, an action that could reduce the food resources of these bees, he said.

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Rahim pointed out that KPD had been making concerted efforts to generate greater interest among local farmers to venture into this industry that could provide lucrative turnovers of at least RM2,500 a month.

He also disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries had allocated RM200,000 this year as starting capital to interested farmers in Sabah towards promoting the honey industry.

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