December 22
Myanmar shipped more than 1,400 tonnes of honey with an estimated value of over US$2.162 million to foreign trade partners in eight months of the current financial year 2023-2024 beginning 1 April, according to the Apiculture Division under the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department.
Myanmar sends 1,291.12 metric tons of honey to external markets by sea and 150 MT to neighbouring countries through the border.
Myanmar exports honey to the Republic of Korea, Japan, the US and Singapore. Myanmar’s beekeeping businesses are primarily found in Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, Magway Region and Shan State.
Myanmar produces sesame honey, jujube honey, Niger honey, sunflower honey, lychee honey and flower honey.
Honey is utilized as a traditional medicine in the country. Additionally, it also generates foreign income from exports.
Myanmar’s honey fetches US$2,500-$3,000 per tonne in the international market.
Some state-owned beekeeping stations have 6,200 beehives in 31 townships and over 950 private beekeeping businesses with nearly 200,000 beehives.
Moreover, two million acres of crops are yearly benefited pollination. The beekeeping businesses near the crop fields contribute to the successful yield of the crop as well as quality bee production.
Myanmar annually produces about 7,000 tonnes of honey, with a production capacity of 70 pounds per beehive.
Over 1,900 tonnes of honey were shipped to external markets in the 2022-2023 FY (April-March), with an estimated value of over $2.8 million.
Myanmar exported 1,853.74 tonnes to foreign markets by sea and 63.44 tonnes to neighbouring countries via cross-border. — NN/EM
