Firm reaps it rich with 2000 litres of honey
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 16 2023: The Wangoo Laipham Bee Farm has managed to harvest around 2000 litres of honey from wild honeycombs built on trees and buildings of different Umang Lai premises.

The Wangoo Laipham Bee Farm has around 25 members who hail from different parts of the State and they have been harvesting honey from wild honeycombs for the last 14 years.

Talking to The Sangai Express, Wangoo Laipham Bee Farm president Amom Raju of Wangoo Laipham said that they have been harvesting honey from honeycombs of the Khoiren variety of bees built on trees and buildings in the premises of different sylvan deities.

Earlier, around 50 farmers were involved in harvesting wild honey but their number has now declined to around 25.Of the 25 farmers working with the Wangoo Laipham Bee Firm, 20 are residents of Wangoo.

The other five belong to Uchiwa Muslim, Raju said.

Firm reaps it rich with 2000 litres of honey

Even though it is said that the sting of Khoiren is highly poisonous, there are certain techniques of harvesting honey from their honeycombs, he said.

So far, there has been not a single incident of Khoiren bee stinging any of the honey harvesters or people of surrounding areas in the process of harvesting honey, he claimed.

Harvesting of honey from the honeycombs of Khoiren bees is generally done from the last of February till March/April.

Harvesting of honey should be done in the morning, preferably between 5.30 am and 7/8 am, he said.

Honey can be harvested in the evening too between 3 pm and 5.30/6 pm, he continued.

Khoiren bees are most active when there is sunshine or the temperature is higher.

They are easily agitated if any one touches their honeycomb when the sun is shining brightly and they tend to sting living beings including man, Raju said.

Since the past 14 years, the Wangoo Laipham Bee Farm has been harvesting wild honey from Moirang Khunou, Nambol Maibam Lotpa Ching, Mayang Imphal, Laphupat Tera, Nongmaikhong and Iroishemba etc.

Generally, Khoiren bees fly away from their nests to forests before the onset of the rainy season starting from April and they come back to their nests in October/November.

Members of Wangoo Laipham Bee Firm pray to the local deities for starting the work of harvesting honey from wild honeycombs, he said.

They usually wear thick clothes including hats so that they can be protected from the stings of bees.

Moreover, they hold a bunch of burning straws which emit lots of smoke.

Similar fires are burnt at the feet of trees, he said.

If an agitated bee or a swarm of bees start attacking commuters or people living in surrounding areas, the best way of defending oneself is to hide inside a bush if there is such a bush in the nearby areas, Raju said.

By harvesting around 2000 litres of honey, the Wangoo Laipham Bee Firm harvested the highest quantity of honey from wild honeycombs this year, he said.

Around 600 litres of honey were harvested from about 200 honeycombs built at the premises of Nganu Leima Laipham, Moirang Khunou.

Further, 300 litres of honey were harvested from the premises of Ibudhou Marjing, Maibam Lotpa Ching.

Moreover, 100 litres of honey were harvested from the premises of Khuman Ningthou, Mayang Imphal, he said.

Similarly, varying quantities of honey were harvested from different places.

In addition to harvesting honey from wild honeycombs, the Wangoo Laipham Bee Firm has been rearing honey bees in around 200 bee boxes on the hill slope of Wangoo.

Around 400 litres of honey were harvested from these 200 bee boxes, Raju said.

He said that honey harvested from wild honeycombs is sold at the rate of Rs 700 per bottle (750 ml) .

Honey produced by the Wangoo Laipham Bee Firm was also sold at the Manipur Sangai Festival and there are many regular customers who come to buy honey from the firm annually, he continued.

"However, we have been facing certain difficulties when it comes to preservation of honey as we are unaware of the scientific methods of honey preservation", Raju said.

He then sought assistance of the State Government toward proper refinement and preservation of honey collected by the firm.

He expressed keen desire for Government loan in order to procure necessary equipment for refinement and bottling of honey.