HONEY PRODUCTION AS PART OF CARICOM'S ELIMINATION OF US$6. BILLION PER ANNUM FOOD IMPORTS

HONEY PRODUCTION AS PART OF CARICOM’S ELIMINATION OF US$6. BILLION PER ANNUM FOOD IMPORTS

Jun 30, 2024 Consumer Concerns, Features / Columnists, News, Waterfalls Magazine

CONSUMER CONCERNS

PAT DIAL

Kaieteur News – For some years now, CARICOM countries have been expressing their commitment to the elimination of the US$6. Billion food imports but not much had been achieved until Guyana, to avoid being affected by the Dutch Disease by being too dependent on Oil revenues, and at the same time by its commitment of eliminating the US$6. billion per annum food import bill, embarked upon an Agricultural Revolution: New crops such as soya, maize, millet and tropical wheat were introduced; livestock – poultry, cows and sheep -were upgraded by import of foreign breeds; prawns and fish like tilapia were cultivated in ponds in addition to deep sea fishing; and Sugar and Rice cultivation began to be scientifically modernized with a rise in production and productivity and upgrading of Honey production was also part of this Agricultural push. Guyana is confident of achieving the 25% reduction of the food import bill of US$6. Billion by the end of 2025.

Expertise from Cuba were enlisted to help in developing the Honey Industry with NARI, while at the same time the Ministry quietly gave some stimulus at the local level by giving training in apiary management to interested villagers and even sometimes donating hives. Recently, towards the end of June, for instance, President Dr. Irfaan Ali visited St Cuthbert Mission and donated 25 hives and arranged for training of the persons who will man them. The Honey Industry is fostered both as an import substitution and also to improve the nutrition and health standards of the population.

It may be apposite to say a word of the history of Honey to remind of its ancient provenance and so underscore its complete usefulness and safety. The first extant record of Honey production was from a Stone Age painting in the Cuevas de Arana in Spain some 8000 years ago. It was widely used in Egyptian Civilization as a food and medicament and to embalm the mummies and it is part of the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia dating 4000 years ago. It is also used in religious ceremonies.

Honey is anti-inflammatory; antioxidant; antimicrobial; antiseptic; antibacterial and boosts the immune system. When these qualities are brought to bear on the various organs of the body and on various diseases, the curative nature of Honey becomes evident.

Below we mention some of ailments or conditions in which Honey has been helpful: Heals cuts and wounds; helps relieve coughs, colds and bronchitis; aids digestion; treatment of burns with good results; improves brain function and memory; reduces arthritis symptoms; aids in cancer prevention, inhibits cancer cell growth; helps to manage diabetes, controls blood sugar; promotes heart health – lowers LDL.

There are two types one could get on the market – Raw honey which is the honey which exists in the hive and is the same as ‘pure honey’ and pasteurized honey that is honey which has been subjected to heat. Most of the local honeys at present sold in the supermarkets, though labelled as “pure Honey” have been diluted with syrups such as corn syrup and the buyer is not aware of this. Consumers could obtain pure raw honey directly from any of the many amateur producers who have one or two hives. The one large producer is the Rajkimar family from Berbice who have been in business since the 1940’s and their honey is regarded as pure and of good quality and could be obtained from the better supermarkets. Consumers should also be on the alert for Fake Honey which is mostly imported and sold in the supermarkets. Fake Honey is formulated with syrups which simulate the taste of honey.

Genuine pure honey would become more readily available and be increasingly used as a food and drug as the honey industry begins its rapid expansion.

billion, CARICOM, CONSUMER CONCERNS, PAT DIAL, poultry

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HONEY PRODUCTION AS PART OF CARICOM’S ELIMINATION OF US$6. BILLION PER ANNUM FOOD IMPORTS

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HONEY PRODUCTION AS PART OF CARICOM’S ELIMINATION OF US$6. BILLION PER ANNUM FOOD IMPORTS

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