County to give bee farmers smoking gear, buckets for honey harvesting

The County Government is distributing equipment to beekeepers for storing honey during the harvesting season starting in a week’s time.

The programme aims at ensuring that more than 5,000 beekeepers reap full benefits from the multi-million-shilling industry.

Agriculture Executive Emmanuel Kisangau and Chief Officer Songolo Mbii said many tonnes of honey were wasted due to lack of equipment for harvesting the produce.

Mr Kisangau and Mr Mbii said farmers would be trained on how to harvest and handle honey without crushing it.

“We will distribute buckets and smoking gear to the farmers starting this week to enable them reap optimum benefits from their honey. This is a lucrative business and as a government, we want to empower and equip beekeepers with proper skill and tools,” said Kisangau.

Speaking during an orientation course for journalists at the Kitui’s Tanathi Water Services Board Centre, the officers said in order for the county to produce premium honey, farmers should be equipped with cutting knifes, modern smoking facility, protective gear and a container to harvest the produce.

Value Chain advisor in the governor’s office, Temi Mutia, said the county aimed to produce 400 tonnes of honey annually.