Bee farmers in the country have been urged to improve the quality of their honey to meet export standards.

The remarks were made in Kigali, yesterday, during a one day farmers’ workshop with the Apiary, a Singaporean firm that has committed to buy Rwandan honey.

Tony Nsanganira, the minister of state for Agriculture, said there is ready market in Arab States but quality has always posed challenges to the country’s honey.

"Last year, we were accredited to sell honey on the European market. We want to improve the quality of our produce so that we can maintain the market. We do not want to lose ground, rather we want bee farming to contribute to national development,” Nsanganira told beekeepers.

Currently, there are about 90,000 beehives, countrywide, that produce over 4000 metric tonnes of honey per annum, according to the minister.

The Singaporean company committed to extending Rwf3 million to local bee farmers fillowing a deal signed in March this year between Apiary Singapore and 12 bee farmers’ cooperatives in Rwanda.

According to Esther Su, a marketing official of Apiary Singapore, the deal is aimed at facilitating marketing of Rwanda’s honey as well as quality improvement to increase exports to Singapore.

Bee farmers cite challenges

Jean Marie Vianey Ndagijimana, a beekeeper in Rilima Sector, Bugesera District, said agro chemicals are one of the challenges facing bee farming.

 "One of the challenges we are facing is that our bees die when gathering nectar from   plantations neighbouring beehives. This is due to agro chemicals and pesticides applied there which threaten  our bee farming activities,” he said.

Claude Munyandamutsa, another bee keeper in Bushekeri Sector, Nyamasheke District, cited poor logistics among the challenges facing bee keeping.

"We do not have enough equipment such as protective gear to use while collecting honey. We also lack honey collection centres,” Munyandamutsa said.

According to the National agricultural export Development Board (NAEB), Rwanda produces mostly honey bees– wax and propolis.

Rwandan bee products are believed to have a huge potential, especially because of the country’s excellent natural ecological factors.