Agoa adds impetus to honey export sector

Zambia’s burgeoning honey
export sector is upbeat about
continued growth.
According to The Times
of Zambia, the honey sector
recorded an increase in
production from 500 000 to
600 000 tonnes between 2009
and 2010, representing a 20%
increase. And with favourable
weather patterns the industry is
expecting more of the same for
this year.
Zambia Honey Council (ZHC)
programme manager, Macdonald
Kayuna, says increased impetus
has come from the African
Growth and Opportunity Act
(Agoa).
In order to meet international
quality standards, the council has
embarked on a capacity-building
and service-delivery programme
to train farmers in production,
quality management and market
access.
He said 750 bee-keepers had
been trained this year and that
number of trained farmers stood
at 8 000 at the end of 2010 out
of the targeted 15 000 keepers
countrywide.