In order to ensure a steady flow of milk and honey, Pearl Dairy Farms Limited, the producer of Lato Milk will invest over UGX 10 billion in commercial honey farming in a new partnership with the local dairy farmers in Western Uganda.
The dairy processing company is targeting to invest in over 10,000 farmers in the western region of the country to produce more than 1,000 metric tons of verified and high-quality raw honey in the next five years of the project. This initiative targets regional as well as the global markets and production capacity is expected to double in the first five years of the project.
According to Michael van den berg, the Project Manager at Pearl Dairy Farms, the project was primarily conceived to assist the families of the dairy farmers who have been supplying milk to Pearl Dairy to supplement their income as milk prices are not stable as a result of challenges in accessing regional markets and seasonal price fluctuations. This secondary income will help boost the livelihoods of thousands of these farmers.
Talking about the progress of the project, Van den berg said; “We have already identified the families of 1,000 farmers to participate in the program. We have selected specifically the women and youth from their families to be trained and equipped with skills in bee keeping to strengthen their capacity and ensure high quality honey production acceptable to the global markets. One of our key target markets for this honey is Europe where Uganda is permitted to export; however, we have not been able to leverage this opportunity due to challenges associated with quality and quantity. With this substantial investment we are making in this sector, Uganda will become a major regional exporter of honey in this region.”
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Van den berg noted that Pearl Dairy will provide each family with at least 10 beehives at the start of the project and deploy a dedicated team of Apiculture Development Executives who will work with and train farmers to achieve maximum profitability from the project.
“Phase one of this project has already kicked off and thousands of hives are currently being deployed. We plan to have the first batch of honey on the market by January 2021,” Van den berg added.
Honey is not only a delicious and convenient sweetener. Globally, honey is accepted as one of the most nutritious, healthy and natural foods packed with minerals, enzymes, vitamins and proteins that strengthen the body’s immune system.
