|
Friday, October 19, 2007, #200 (1467)
For a land imbued with biblical myths and ancient tradition, it is no surprise that Georgia has a proud tradition of honey-making. While Georgian winemakers claim a uniqueness to the grapes they harvest, Georgian beekeepers emphasize the particularities of the Georgian bee. Sometimes known as the Caucasian bee, owing to its denomination at a time when Georgia was a not a recognized state entity, this calm but industrious character is native to the north of the country. The Messenger went to the village of Mukhuri, tucked deep inside Samagrelo province, famed for its Kolkhuri black queen bee—whose extended proboscis allows it to reach deeper into flowers as it collects nectar—to learn more about the ancient tradition of honey-making. Mukhuri has been associated with honey for thousands of years and boasts an impressive collection of awards and medals that testify to the quality of its main export. It’s not all black and yellow Yet no matter how many recommendations and awards this honey receives, the beekeepers here face the same problem that all Georgian beekeepers face: they cannot sell their honey abroad without professional laboratory testing facilities. On September 29 CHF International Georgia and the USAID-funded Georgia Employment and Infrastructure Initiative (GEII) held a Honey Festival in Mukhuri, in a bid to popularize Georgian honey amongst wholesalers and businesses. “The main goal of the event is to bring together those involved in the honey industry, so they can share ideas and experience with each other. We want to help them sell their product. Over 200 people have been invited and I’m sure Mukhuri will benefit from this day,” CHF Country Director Brian Husler told the Messenger. To bee or not to bee? Beso Badzaghua has been beekeeping for five years, and the 50 bee families that he owns produce on average some 500 liters of honey a year. He sells it at around ten lari per liter. While he acknowledges that his business is profitable, he suggests being able to distribute abroad would vastly improve his situation. Currently, Badzaghua is engaged in a primitive distribution process whereby he leaves jars with relatives in other villages in the hope that they will be able to shift them to their neighbors. “Mainly I have an acacia honey, which is very popular and delicious. Honey has always been here in our village but in hard times the demand for it decreased hugely, although now it is popular again,” Badzaghua said, adding that he was pleased to see international organizations trying to promote local honey. Acacia honey, popular for its soft aroma and slow crystallization, is the main honey-variant produced in Mukhuri. Some claim it has healing properties that help alleviate insomnia and stomach and kidney complaints. Busy as bees The festival was not simply about comparing the various types of Winnie-the-Pooh’s snack of choice—serious attention was paid to boosting Georgia’s honey industry, as beekeepers and business consultants took part in roundtable discussions. MP Arnold Zhvania noted the construction of a new honey factory in Ponichala, just outside Tbilisi, which will have the testing facilities required to get an export health certificate. “Our beekeepers are now selling honey by kilos, it is very difficult but soon this factory will buy their products at an appropriate price, and promote them abroad as a Georgian brand,” Zhvania said. Health buzz It’s not all about the honey, however. Beekeepers in Sagarejo, Kakheti province, tout the health benefits of drinking bee milk, a secretion from the glands of worker bees which feeds the queen. Bee specialist Roland Zirakashvili told the Messenger that if a tiny portion of bee milk is taken everyday, one can ward off ill health. Bee-milkshakes aren’t about to hit the market any time soon however, as the special milk bees produce has to be consumed in tiny portions, which should be placed under the tongue 20 minutes before eating, Ziraqashvili says. The Japanese have already caught on to the bee milk health buzz, he adds. Many schoolchildren in Japan receive a daily dose of 0.1 grams from parents anxious to ensure a healthy lifestyle for their kids. Giorgi Goguadze, director general of People’s Bank—one of the principal sponsors of the festival in Mukhuri—told the Messenger he was keen to support the cause. “This district has huge potential in terms of honey production and it needs organizing. Our bank will always be glad to participate in such projects,” he told the Messenger. |
