Manjula-Parthiban, a couple from Kolappalur village, Gobichettipalayam, Erode district, has been making beneficial honey production as their business and making many value added products from it. The Couple have won various awards from the Central and State Governments for beekeeping and honey production. Manjula states that she has attended the training camp held at the Coimbatore Agricultural University through the National Bee Board and has obtained the relevant certificate. Due to the various trainings they have received, they have introduced various technologies in beekeeping and effectively manufactured honey-based value added products and sold them to various districts. Manjula said she was able to run the company better with the full cooperation and encouragement of her husband Parthiban, a government transport operator.
They spoke in detail about their Honey Based Value-Added Product Company Manjari honey at 'Farmer the Brand' event held on the Krishi Jagran Tamil Nadu Facebook page. They have been involved in honey value adding for the past 10 years. Honey has been always helps in curing many ailments and providing various nutrients (Micro-Nutrients) to the body says Manjula and Partiban.
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Value Added Products
32 types of Honey Products are sold, including Neem honey, Stingless Bee Honey, Drumsticks Honey, Garlic Honey, Honey Amla, Paneer Rose Honey, Honey cake, Honey Biscuit, Honey Jelly, Honey Ice Cream, Honey Grapes Juice, Honey Jam Lollypop. Honey with honeycomb is sold at Rs 1000 per kg, Pure Honey at Rs 550 per kg, Neem Honey at Rs 1200, Drumstick Honey at Rs 800, Honey Jelly for Rs 450 and Honey Cake for Rs 1100.
They have collaborated with Divyam Honey Ice creams and Bharti for Honey cake making. Honey cakes is popular which is made using only whole wheat flour, butter, honey, almonds, cashews and dried fruits without any additives such as ordinary sugar maida processed ingredients, making it popular with the general public.
The couple says that the sale of honey-based value-added products requires more attention, noting that it would not be as reliable if sold simply in bottles. Their consumers like their products more because they pack them have attractively and sell it safely.
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Beekeeping Training
Parthiban also provides training on beekeeping to farmers in the area and arrange for them to start businesses. Those who want to raise bees, spend 6 thousand rupees to buy bee hives in the shade of trees.
Parthiban said that up to 10 kg per box of honey can be produced per year and the maintenance is needed only once a month. They said that this honey does not spoil for many years and if you make a habit of adding honey to your diet, you can get rid of many diseases.
He also adds on to say that bees do harm only if the bee-friendly environment is hindered, bees reproduction is hindered or the temperature is favorable for them. Parthiban encourages beekeepers that if they are interested in raising more bees, they can easily grow bees even on the roof of the house. Beekeeping on agricultural lands generally yields higher yields and the fruits and vegetables grown there are more nutritious.
