Karwar: Collecting honey naturally formed in the forest and selling it is one of the main occupations of the Siddi community in Uttara Kannada district. But due to lack of processing facilities locally, the market for their products is limited. The district administration has come forward to address this issue and has submitted a proposal to the government urging it to set up a honey processing unit at Haliyal at a cost of Rs 80 lakh.

The members of the tribal communities, particularly those from Siddi community, collect honey from the beehives formed in big trees in the thick forests surrounding their villages or hamlets in the district. Later, they sell the best quality pure honey to the Large sized Adivasi-Multi Purpose Co-operative Societies (LAMPS). Though, the honey they collect can create a market for itself at the national and international level, they are unable to do so as it does not have a ‘brand’.

To sell the honey under a ‘Brand’ name, a honey processing unit is needed locally. Equipment needed to process honey, to check the quality of honey and to bottle it are necessary to set up the unit.

The proposal sent in this regard mentions that the SC/ST Welfare Department must extend financial help to Vanashree Girijan Multi-purpose Co-operative Society of Haliyal to set up the honey processing unit.

District SC/ST Welfare Officer Ajjappa Solgad said that if the proposal gets a nod from the government, the honey collectors coming from the tribal communities will fetch better profits. “Around 1,500 people in Haliyal area involve in the job of collecting honey. If a honey processing unit is established locally, these people along with another 20 to 25 youths will get jobs. Above all, consumers will be able to get good quality honey. Presently, the unit aims to focus on natural honey only. In days to come, it will also encourage tribal people to take up apiculture”, Solgad explained.

Deputy Commissioner S S Nakul said that there are lot of opportunities to expand the market for the honey collected by the tribal people in the district. But it has not been possible to provide market due to lack of processing unit.

He said that to sell honey in international market, it has to be stored for more number of days. Also, the quality of the product must be maintained. So, a proposal has been submitted to the SC/ST Welfare Department to set up honey processing unit. The proposal is in the primary stage and they were hopeful of getting approval.