Industry can generate K100mil to economy: Official

THE apiculture industry has the potential to generate more K100 million annually for the economy, an official says.
Eastern Highlands agriculture and livestock adviser Bubia Muhuju said the beekeeping industry was generating only K10 million “due to lack of proper investment and promotion”.
Muhuju told the 15 participants of a one-week honey bee training that they would contribute towards increasing honey bee production in the country.
“Your contribution will add value to the apiculture industry,” he said.
“There’s a lot of money in the resource sector but we are not working hard enough to get the money.
“We have time, energy, land, resources but we are dying poor in a country blessed with abundant resources.”
Muhuju promised to buy each participant bee hives (boxes) and bottles.
Owner of Mountain Honey Kelly Inae said the training was the fifth to be conducted by his organisation.
He was pleased to see three female doctors from the Goroka Provincial Hospital and PNG Institute of Medical Research attend the training.
He said more than 3,000 bee farmers had been trained by Mountain Honey.
Inae employs two extension officers to travel around PNG supervising and monitoring bee farmers who they had trained.