The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) on Wednesday urged its members to engage in beekeeping in cashew plantations, to boost production.
Mr Sotonye Anga, the association’s national spokesman,said in Lagos that beekeeping in plantations would help cashew farmers to increase their yields and boost overall production.
Anga said that beekeeping was significant during pollination, as female bees would feed on the cashew nectar and this, in turn, would help in the production of more honey.
“Beekeeping can be run side-by-side the production of cashew fruits in cashew plantations by cashew farmers, to enable them earn extra income and boost their overall production.
“The bees play a very crucial role during pollination because they collect nectar from cashew flowers during its flowering season, usually from November to February.
“This helps to increase yield and also helps the bees to produce more honey. We encourage cashew farmers nationwide to co-opt beekeeping as part of their total farm produce.
“Whatever helps to boost cashew production is laudable and remarkable, and should be encouraged,’’ Anga said.
The spokesman said that considering the cost of honey per litre, cashew farmers stand to gain, and could incorporate as much as 50 bee hives on a 40-hectare of cashew plantation.
“Honey now sells for about N1,500 per litre, and from a bee hive, you can collect approximately 25 litres of honey.
“You can keep like 20 bee hives to 30 bee hives in your cashew plantation, while on a 40-hectare of cashew plantation, you can keep 50 bee hives.
“This should be taken seriously by cashew farmers as an overall cashew business strategy,’’ Anga said.
