KUDAT: The honey bee industry holds strong potential to raise rural household incomes, particularly across northern Sabah, says Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar.
Speaking at the Rural Development Corporation (KPD) Golden Jubilee and Borneo Honey Bee Centre (BHBC) Open Day in Sikuati on Thursday, Jamawi said the centre has so far collected approximately 30 tonnes of wild and farmed raw honey produced by local contract farmers.
He said he has instructed KPD to restructure the programme to draw more rural villagers into honey production, noting that guaranteed buybacks from contract farmers offer participants financial security in addressing hardcore poverty across districts such as Kudat and Pitas.
In expanding market reach, KPD exchanged an intention memorandum document with local beverage manufacturer Life Water Industries Sdn Bhd during the event to produce a new honey-based commercial beverage entering the market in phases.
Jamawi urged the public to support the venture, emphasising that consumer purchases will directly aid rural honey producers in Sikuati, Kudat, and Pitas in breaking out of hardcore poverty.
