Zambia is focusing on upping its honey exports as a measure to augment its exports beyond metals. A large quantity of honey sold at pittance locally or used to brew alcohol will now further processed and then exported. The Zambian government authorities feel that it would add to the precious foreign exchange being received by the country. Also, the international fluctuations in the prices of metal normally impact the foreign exchange receivables, which can be made good by export of goods like honey. Moreover, honey exports will directly benefit the farmers, who are reeling under pressure on account of low agricultural production and low ruling prices.
Traders say Zambia has different types of honey. As the saying goes, every hive has a different flavor of honey depending on what the bees from the forest are secreting into the bee hives.
Currently, Zambia’s honey production is at 2,000 tons per year and is set to leap over 10,000 tons because of increased exports. Honey export is had fetched US$1.6 million in 2015 , which is estimated to have grown to US$ 3.1 million in 2018. There are more than 30,000 rural bee-keepers in the country and their number is expected grow substantially on account of the prospects for increased exports, which will also impact their earnings.
