Monday, December 17, 2007

Ukhrul Farmer Affords Son’s Education in Maharastra by Bee-Keeping

By : Phanjoubam Lanngamba 12/16/2007 12:58:38 AM

Sixty one years old Wungnaoyo of Kasom Khullen has to send Rs 5000 per month for his son’s education in Maharastra. Of his six children, his youngest son is studying MA Economics final year in Institute of Gandhian Studies Wardha, Maharastra.

But how could an uneducated man from one of the most backward area under Ukhrul district could afford his son’s education. But Mr. Wungnaoyo had started a profitable business in Kasom Khullen, bee keeping which afford his son’s education. I know its very difficult for me to send this amount every month, but somehow I could manage it, Wungnaoyo told proudly.

He started his business since 1982 and from a humble beginning of one bee box, now he possesses 43 such bee boxes and make an honourable livelihood. He keeps them around his courtyard. He got bee keeping training from Khadi and village Industry during the early 1980s in his village.

Initially when he started bee keeping everyone in the village said, he won’t be able earn enough for his family. But everything proves a mere gossip and I have shown them success, he laughed.

Season for extracting honey is from February to May. During the season, he extracts honey four times a week and a day’s production is 17 bottles, according to him which is the minimum quantity that can be produced. He used 750 ml whisky bottle for selling honey. He sales such bottles at the rate of Rs 150 per bottle.

He could earn more than ten thousand rupees per week during the season, making his income more than forty thousand rupees per month during this time, which he used for his son’s education and the requirement for his family.

From June to January is lean season for his business, but that doesn’t mean that he has no income from it. During this period he extracts honey for once a week and in such laborious day his production is one and half bottle of honey.

For marketing, Mr. Wungnaoyo does not have any problem. Even his supply could not meet demand of honey from his own village Kasom Kullen, he said.

Yesterday afternoon, when this reporter visited his home, he was busy extracting honey. He opened only two bee boxes and took out honeycomb for extraction of honey. From those two boxes he produced one and a half bottle of honey.

After his training of bee keeping he said, he got one box for keeping bee, a hand gloves set and a mask used by the bee keepers from the government department. Since then he made all his boxes for keeping bee and bought gloves and other materials he needed. And his bottles for package came from Ukhrul district headquarters. He doesn’t buy them, but he got it free from his relatives there.

Before he started this business he was a farmer. But now he devoted all his time for taking care of the bees. As and when required he need to divide bees from one box to another, extract honey etc, which needs maximum care and protection also, he added.

Seeing Mr. Wungnaoyo’s proficient other villagers in Kasom Khullen have also started bee keeping, but they are no competition to him. Others do it for their family use and can able to keep only one or two boxes. Mr Wungnaoyo also wants others in his village to start this business like him, so that they can make a living out of it.

http://www.ifp.co.in/ArticleFull.asp?ArticleID=208

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