VADODARA: A 'sweet revolution' is silently sweeping the arid
Kutch district.
The production of raw
honey from the thorny shrubs on this barren land has tripled to nearly 1,400 quintals in two years from 2015 to 2017, thanks to middle-men and commission agents being rooted out.
The biggest beneficiaries of this change are nearly 900 below poverty line (
BPL) families from Jat, Koli and Vandha communities, who have been traditional honey collectors for decades now. With most profit going directly into their accounts, these families are smiling their way to banks.
Take the case of Jagriya Naranji, head of the Manji family in Ghaduli village of
Nakhatrana taluka. This BPL family has earned Rs 1.75 lakh this year and will get another Rs 87,975 directly in their bank account. The family collected 1,955 kg forest honey made by the dwarf honey bees.
"For most part of the year, we work as casual labourers and earn earn barely Rs 200 to Rs 300 per day. But with the money from honey collection, we can repay debts, buy ration and medicines for our family," said Jagriya, who has been collecting money since he was a child.
What's more. Entire honey production is from gando baval and other thorny shrubs which are the preferred home for dwarf honey bees. GSFDC has been collecting honey from Kutch for the last three decades. But the honey collection had gradually dipped during the last three years to around 500 quintals in the 2015 season. By engaging more honey collectors and raising the base price for raw honey, GSFDC's procurement rose by more than two-and-a-half times to 1,364 quintal in the 2017 season.
"We decided to eliminate the role of agents in the honey collection by forming around 24 sakhi mandals to facilitate honey collection. These groups were paid nearly Rs nine lakh as commission at 7.5 % of the total value of collected honey. It also provided door-step employment to various women's groups," said GSFDC's managing director Anil Johri.
Other families will be paid around Rs 40.50 lakh for the wild raw honey that will be processed at the unit of GSFDC. P 2
Picture used for representational purpose
