June 23, 2010
Honey collectors from four provinces in Cambodia signed an agreement with the Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC) in order to bring more to market, local media reported on Wednesday.
CEDAC President Yang saing Koma said that under the agreement bee-hunting communities would supply 4,000 litres of pure forest honey per year for sale in 10 shops across Phnom Penh.
"We hope that, through this agreement, CEDAC and forest honey hunter communities will benefit from both increasing their income and preserving natural resources for each community," Yang Saing Koma was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying.
Pich Phony, president of the Cambodian Honey Hunter Community, which represents about 300 members in Mondulkiri, Koh Kong, Kratie and Preah Vihear provinces, said that honey would be sold to CEDAC for 9.70 U.S. dollars per litre.
He added that the honey hunter communities in the four provinces are able to collect from 5,000 to 8,000 litres of honey in total per year at present.
According to the figure, only 10 percent of the 500,000 litres of honey demanded domestically each year is currently supplied by Cambodia's collectors.
It is hoped the deal will also help strengthen community conservation of hives and natural forest resources.
"Previously, we collected honey by cutting tree branches and then taking the whole nest, but we no longer do so now," Pich Phont was quoted as saying, adding that "We collect only the honey, and we leave the nest and young bees there so that they will produce honey again."
CEDAC hopes to buy honey from collectors in three more provinces if the scheme goes well.
Source:Xinhua
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