Jungle Honey Enterprise, a Kenyan indigenous and commercial beekeeping company is currently in need of more farmers, under mutual agreement, to venture into honey production and supply the company which is experiencing increasing demand especially from the Middle East.
The firm has been working with farmers form different parts of the country to produce the sweetener for local consumption but international market openings has seen it mobilising for more beekeepers who are keen to up their income.
“Honey is five times more expensive than oil and its demand is increasing not only in Kenya but all over the world. In this, we are keen to provide market to interested farmers in a contract signing of three years during which farmers will enjoy sure market for their produce,” said Jackson Shisoka, the firm’s founder.
He says that currently, the commodity is priced at between Sh500 and Sh1,100 per kilogram in Kenya which is at least five times what a liter of petrol costs while in the Arab market, a jar of honey can fetches almost double the amount.
However, since independence, Kenya has had a deficit in honey production which leads to over 80 percent of honey processed in Kenya being imported from Tanzania despite the country having favorable climatic conditions for beekeeping like other leading honey producing countries, said Shisoka.
Beekeeping in Kenya has been practiced traditionally for many years leading to only 20 per cent of the country’s honey production potential (estimated at 100,000 metric tonnes) being tapped so far.
“Many farmers in Kenya are yet to commercialize honey production as the sector is still regarded as a preserve of the poor. This has been the case while there is a huge market for the product in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East,” said Shisoka.
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According to a survey by the firm, there is great potential for Kenyan bee farmers to make money as the country leaks every flowering season with over 80 per cent untapped nectar. This despite the fact that beekeeping being a unique practice that works well with other farm practices since less time is needed on management and supervision.
The company is now involved in empowering interested beekeepers through offering training on modern beekeeping, provision of Langstroth beehives and other beekeeping equipment and management of the apiaries to meet the quantity and quality of the produce needed.
“We also provide bees (colony division) and technical support as well as the marketing of the honey,” said Shisoka.
Jungle Honey Enterprise can be reached on info@junglehoney.co.ke or +254 795 82 84 14