Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
The beekeepers have set a target of collecting 26 tons of honey from litchi flowers in Ishwardi. Thousands of honey boxes have been set up across the litchi gardens. Row upon row of small boxes made of house-shaped wood. After extracting honey from litchi flowers, bees are running to their nests. Mouyals will collect 26,000 kg of honey from litchi flowers in Ishwardi Upazila only after one week with the help of special equipment. This information has come to light after visiting the litchi orchards of some unions of Ishwardi upazila.
The litchi trees of Ishwardi upazila of Pabna are full of golden litchi buds among the green leaves. The fragrance of litchi flowers and buds is spread all around. The number of flowers and buds in litchi tree is much more this year as compared to last year. The farmers are not keeping any deficiency in the care of litchi buds so that they do not fall in the storm.
According to the Agriculture Office, there are 11,258 litchi orchards in different villages of Ishwardi Municipality and seven unions. The beekeepers have set up 6,500 bee-boxes for honey collection. At present three species of litchi are being grown in Ishwardi upazila. Mozaffar or Desi and Bombay and China-3.
It can be seen that the litchi gardens are full of golden flowers and buds in the green leaves. Bee boxes have been arranged in layers under the litchi tree. Thousands of bees buzz in each bee-box. With the care of the farmers, the system of Mouyals has increased. Each litchi garden has 150 boxes. Beekeepers from different districts of the country will collect five kg of honey from a box. They sell honey at a wholesale price of 250-300 taka per kg.
Hafizul Islam Hafiz, who came to Rooppur village to collect honey from Bhunapur upazila of Tangail, said, “I have kept 200 boxes in a litchi garden. The bees collect the honey from the litchi buds in a swarm and collect it in their respective boxes.
Kitab Mandal, a national medal winning litchi farmer, said that if bees collect honey from litchi buds, litchi yields better if pollinated. As a result, pesticides are not required. So I let the bees put the bee boxes in the garden for free.
Ishwardi Upazila Agriculture Officer Mita Sarkar said that pollination is better when bees sit on litchi flowers and buds and diseases are less. Many gardens in the area do not need pesticides after cocooning. There is a good chance of bumper yield in the litchi garden. It produces bumper yields of litchi as well as honey.
He further said that the beekeepers have set up 6,000 moubax boxes in the litchi garden.
They are collecting honey from different parts of the country. More than half a bee is present in 10 frames of each box.
