Honey

タイトルまたは説明

Statistics show that Zambia is capable of producing more than *0,**0 metric tonnes of honey, which is estimated to earn the country about US$*2 million.
We are talking about the opening up of this market at a time when the need for the country to diversify is top of the agenda and an opportunity is now knocking on the doors of the honey producers. It is up to them to seize the challenge.
We urge them to seize this opportunity and make the most of it so that both exporters and the country can benefit.
It is also cardinal that the honey producers co-ordinate their efforts because there is more power in unity than in working as individuals who cannot do much on their own.
Bee producers should also continuously carry out research so that they keep ahead of world trends and be able to penetrate more export markets.
According to correspondence dated September *5 and issued to the Zambia High Commission in South Africa, there are a number of measures that have been stipulated to ensure Zambia complies with South Africas standards.
Some of them are that the honey should come from a country or zone free of Nosema ceranae (which is a small parasite that affects honey bees), or the honey should have been tested and found free of Nosema ceranae.
Pure honey shall only be packaged in closed and sealed new, unused, uncontaminated containers.
The permit also stipulates that on arrival of the consignment at the port of entry, a random sample may be drawn and sent to a laboratory for testing of Paenibacillus larvae (which causes American foulbrood disease, a highly contagious disease of bacterial origin affecting the larval and pupal stages of honeybees).
Should Paenibacillus larvae and Nosema ceranae be detected, notification of non-compliance shall be communicated to Zambia and all imports of honey shall be subjected to irradiation or sent back. South Africa will then advise Zambia of the actions to be taken.
Given these measures, we believe that the Zambia Honey Council has been communicated to and it is putting its house in order.