Project to integrate honey, coffee

Business

By ZACHERY PER
THE World Bank-funded Productive Partnership in Agriculture Project and the Coffee Industry Corporation will invest in the integration of honeybee and coffee.
Project coordinator Poitasa Hombunaka said the project will invest K100,000 in the Apo Angra Angna Kange (AAAK) Coffee Cooperative and K100,000 in the Simbai Coffee Farmers group in Madang.
The project and corporation will monitor the AAAK and Simbai group before extending the initiative to other coffee cooperative groups.
The concept involves the placing of a honeybee box near the coffee garden to allow bees to pollinate coffee flowers allowing a high yield, and sell the honey to generate revenue.
Corporation chief executive officer Charles Dambui said the Government wanted apiculture transferred from the Livestock Development Cooperation to them.
The integration of honeybee with coffee will be monitored by Coffee Industry Corporation research and grower services division.
“We start with the AAAK and Simbai group. We need to research to see any change in coffee production, and the taste of honey as well,” Dambui said.
The Zuguru cattle farm has been given to the AAK Cooperative to manage.