HUBBALLI: The Kali Tiger Reserve in Uttara Kannada district became the first protected area in Karnataka to have its own honey brand. The brand has been named after Adavi Jhenkara, the programme which was launched two years ago, aiming to involve forest dwellers in harvesting pure honey from their backyards.
The forest department has enrolled 250 beneficiaries and has distributed 350 box colonies of honeybees to the forest dwellers living in Kali Tiger Reserve. The Reserve is now selling the 250 gm and 500 gm (Rs 200 and Rs 400) at their office counters and functions organised by the forest department. In the coming days, the reserve plans to market the brand and could post the box to the customer's doorstep.
"The parts of Joida taluk have one of the best forest patches, and there are small hamlets with native community people dwelling over ages. The forest department had provided them an opportunity to earn money through harvesting honey at their homes which are located inside the tiger reserve. With abundance of flowering species available around these hamlets the honey collection is good. In the last few months about 600 kg of honey has been harvested through these boxes," explained an official from the Kali Tiger Reserve.
The forest department provides the honey bee colonies for free to the beneficiaries and also pays them while buying the honey collected. A team of forest officials ensure quality checks so that there is no adulteration. The department also plans to expand the programme to other divisions as well.
Entomology experts point out that Uttara Kannada can become the hub of honey production as it has several patches of thick forests. Places like Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu and parts of Kerala state have been in forefront in harvesting the honey. Similar efforts should be duplicated in these parts of the Western Ghats, suggested the experts.
