The Ministry of Agriculture is conducting a 5-day training on apiculture for agriculture officers in Tailevu.
During this training, all aspects of bee farming will be taught to the participants, who will later train the farmers involved in the apiculture industry.
While opening this training, Mr Tomasi Tunabuna from the Animal Health and Production Division said capacity building is one of the priorities for the division, therefore he urged participants to make good use of such trainings.
He said the apiculture industry has huge potential in Fiji and the interest among the people is continuously increasing.
At present, there are about 1000 farmers involved in the apiculture industry with over 10,000 bee hives producing more than 200 tonnes of honey annually.
Mr Tunabuna said in the next financial year, there will be an increased funding for the apiculture industry where more farmers will be assisted.
“There are also plans to rehabilitate those farmers who had lost their bee hives during Tropical Cyclone (TC) Winston so that production can soon normalise.”
Majority of farms in the Western Division and the maritime zone were largely affected during TC Winston causing a major reduction in the overall production.
“There have been a lot of development programmes planned for the next few years such as artificial insemination of queen bees, making of new boxes and training more farmers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dobuilevu Research Station in Rakiraki and Batiri Research Station in Vanua Levu will now be fully responsible for the apiculture research activities.
Agriculture livestock officers are also expected to be sent for overseas training targeting the export market with higher emphasis on small holder farmers.
Today, the industry is fully equipped with more competent farmers and information personnel for a brighter and challenging future of the apiculture industry in Fiji.
Mr Tunabuna added this is done in efforts to assist in increased honey production in the country hence reducing the imports of honey.
Source: DEPTFO
