KOLLAM: One swallow of honey makes spring. With Kerala honey finding favour across the world for its medicinal and cosmetic purposes, the government is all set to explore its tourism potential. Banking on the lure of Kerala honey, the state is all set to open a Honey Museum and a Honey Park at Karimpuzha, near Nilambur in Malappuram district.
The initiative, taken up by Kerala Khadi and Village Industries Board (KKVIB), aims to attract tourists visiting the Teak Museum, Adyanpara Waterfalls and Connolly’s Plot in Nilambur and create awareness about the exotic medicinal food that needs to be tasted for all its delicate and robust flavours.
According to KKVIB officers, the plan is to convert the museum and park into a research centre in apiculture in the near future. Once established, the centre will become the first-of-its-kind research centre in the country. The board is also planning to take the market by storm by introducing a new product - ‘Honey Cola’- which will be sold through exclusive Honey Parlours.
“The board had submitted a proposal to the government in the last financial year. The Working Group of the Industries Department has endorsed the idea and the government has now accorded sanction for the project. The government has allotted `50 lakh for the project,” said M V Balakrishnan, vice-chairman, KKVIB.
The Honey Museum at Karimpuzha near Nilambur will offer training in beekeeping to farmers, said Khadi Board vice chairman M V Balakrishnan. “The Honey Museum and Honey Park will come up at KKVIB’s honey processing centre at Nilambur. Though our aim primary is to attract tourists, there are also plans to provide training for beekeepers. We will offfer practical training on apiculture, honey extraction and wax purification, and management of bee colonies,” he said.
The bees collect honey from teak, rosewood, rubber, neem and cardamom which makes Kerala honey special. Consumption of raw honey helps boost energy and supports heart health. “Apart from giving an insight into the history of apiculture, the museum will showcase various products made from honey and the instruments for beekeeping,” Khadi Board’s Malappuram Project Officer A Siyavudeen, told Express.
“As a novel project, the Museum is expected to attract more tourists to Nilambur. The presence of Teak Museum, Adyanpara Waterfalls and Connolly’s Plot will help Nilambur grow as a major tourist destination in the state. This will also help to promote apiculture and inspire more people to take up beekeeping,” said Siyavudeen.A 20-minute short-film will be made to explain the process of honey making.Earlier, an NGO, Keystone Foundation had established a Honey and Bee Museum, at Ooty in Tamil Nadu.