H.E. President Kenyatta of Republic of Kenya visits The Hive stand during the just concluded Nairobi Internation Trade Fair at Jamhuri Grounds in Nairobi. Photo courtesy.
The Hive Group, a supplier of modern beekeeping equipment in African is selling an improved version of Longstroth beehives called CAB hives that increases honey yields two fold from six kilos to 12 kilos in about six months hence improving farmers’ income.
“CAB hives can give double yields as compared to Longstroth beehives and can give farmers ability to produce six times more than the traditional hives,” said Victor Kimani, Technician at The Hive Group.
The hives are made of super box, brooder box and queen excluder chambers bound together with joints that make it more stable. The queen excluder chamber is made of wooden strips instead of iron rods or wires as in the case of longstroth hives.
“The wooden strips limits rusting which occurs with iron and which can poison honey. The joints firmly hold the hive together and this makes our hives last for between 18-20 years as compared to other hives which last for about 15 years,” explained Kimani.
The hive also has a temperature regulator board that monitor temperature within the beehive. This according to Kimani is to ensure that the bees especially the queen bee is not under any stress during the production process.
RELATED ARTICLE: Backyard beehives can offer farmers 13 per cent increase in annual honey yields
RELATED ARTICLE: Palm tree beehives earn farmer Sh3million yearly
RELATED ARTICLE: Modern beehives double honey yields for farmers
Brooder box which is made of 10 framers are the surfaces where honey is deposited and during a good season the production can overflow to almost all the surfaces of the frames making the hives the best as they have enough space for honey, said Kimani.
He says, within 45 days after installation beekeepers should expect bees to occupy the hives which are their respective colonies. During this time the top super chamber is not yet placed, this is done one month later to give the insects time to build up their colonies.
Victor Kimani of The Hive Group demostrating to farmers how CAB hives work at the company’s stand during the just concluded Nairobi Agricultural Trdae Fair. Photo Oyugi Zablon.
The first harvest takes place after 6-7 months and thereafter farmers can enjoy three harvests annually.
The Hive Group sells the CAB hives at Sh12,000 each and it comes with a complete kit comprising of extractor, bee suit, smoker, hive tool and double sieve.
The company in partnership with Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) is currently offering 10 hives at Sh180,000 whereby farmers can apply for a loan from the bank while the company gives services such as training and installation among others.
Our trained farmers stand some best opportunities such as direct marketing. We offer them market of their produce at Sh400 per kilo of honey and this also depends on the market trend.
Currently a kilo of honey goes at between Sh500-Sh800. This is five times what a litre of petrol does (Sh105).