By CHATULA KANGALI –
THE Miombo Forest beekeepers in Mpongwe on the Copperbelt are stuck with over 90 000 tonnes of honey due to lack of market.
This follows the termination of a contract with a South African buyer.
The group consists of village beekeepers from Mpongwe District on the Copperbelt Province and Mwinilunga in North-Western Province.
Miombo honey is the first certified organic and fair-traded honey in the world, which originates from Miombo Forest.
Mpongwe District Commissioner Keith Maila said in an interview that the Miombo Forest Honey  bee  keepers were  stuck with more than 90,000 tonnes  of honey due  to  lack of market.
He said beekeepers in the district had stockpiled containers of honey awaiting market.
“The  beekeepers  have  honey  which  was  collected  in the last two years  following the termination of  the contract  with a South African-based company called Aleo Rich  Aprices PVT.
“The contract was terminated because the company was failing to pay the beekeepers on time,” he said.
Mr Maila said the Miombo Forest honey beekeepers were currently negotiating with Shoprite for the supply of the product.
He said the people were also looking for other companies local and foreign that could buy the organic honey.
He said that his office would also present the matter to the relevant ministry for consideration.
Mr Maila said there were thousands villagers that depended on honey as a source of income in the district.
He said the access to market for honey would enhance the villagers’ livelihood and change the economic status of the district.