Nigeria can earn $120 million yearly from honey-bee production, say experts

Experts on bee production have said that Nigeria can earn over $120 million yearly from honey production if properly harnessed.

The committee member and technical expert, Inter-Ministerial Committee on Honey Production, Bee Health and Pollination Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. David Musa said the economic prospectus of the apiculture industry is high as global yearly production of raw honey is “1.4 million tonnes, value in current global dollar rates at $5,000 per metric is $7 billion or N1,120 billion…while total yearly value of the global apiculture industry is $230 billion or N40 trillion.”

Musa spoke at the weekend at an event to mark the World Honey Bee Day organised by the Cross River State Tourism Bureau in collaboration with the State Farmers’ Council and sponsored by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Canadian non-profit organisation, CUSO International, in Ikom Local Council of the state.

He, therefore, urged the government to stimulate investment in the honey-bee sector as well as mobilise and expose bee-keepers to trade platforms to improve bee farming in Nigeria.

Also, Managing Director of Cross River State Tourism Bureau, Mr. Clement Umina, said: “There is no better opportunity for us as a start to announce our readiness to go into agro-tourism than to use the day that people come together to commemorate the bees all over the world. Our aim is to grow our knowledge and focus on putting the bee and honey into practical use and bringing it to a level where we would be celebrating the bee like we celebrate the New Yam festival in Cross River State.”

Besides, Chairman, Cross River Farmers Council, Mr. Owen Oyama, said they were committed to revive agriculture, not only the common value chain like rice, cocoa and palm, but also bee farming. “I am overwhelmed seeing the enormous benefits of bee keeping activities,” he said.