NATORE, May 07: Beekeepers have collected over 12 tonnes of honey from 200 litchi orchards in the district this season.
Sources said commercial honeybee farming is gaining popularity in the area for high profit. Farmers set up boxes under the litchi trees in the beginning of April.
Honey collection will start in the last week of this month.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials said Gurudaspur and Shingra upazilas are well-known for producing quality honey from the litchi orchards as the juicy fruit is cultivated abundantly in the two upazilas.
Honey collectors from Satkhira, Sirajganj, Mymensingh, Pabna and some other areas visit the district every season this purpose and make a handsome profit from the sale of the produce.
Siraj Sheikh of Sirajganj said they collect honey from mustard field in November-December. It is time to collect honey from litchi orchards. It is also profitable.
Another seasonal beekeeper of Gurudaspur upazila Hossain Ali said, "We set up bee boxes with the permission of the orchard owners."
Honey is selling at Tk 200 to Tk 260 per kg.
Gurdaspur upazila agriculture officer Abdul Karim said litchi is growing on 410 hectares of land in the upazila. Around 8,000 bee boxes have been set up in the orchards.
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