Beekeepers elated as honey from Tanahun reaches international market

DAMAULI, TANAHUN: Bee farmers in Tanahun district are elated as the honey they produced has found an international market.

Surya Nepal’s Himalayan Treasure has started purchasing honey produced in Thaprek and Dagam of Shuklagandaki Municipality‑1 from local farmers and marketing it abroad. In the initial phase, 2,100 kilograms of honey have been purchased at a rate of Rs 2,000 per kg.

The company has also been distributing coffee plants to farmers as part of its social responsibility programme and promoting a multi‑dimensional agricultural system, and it is believed this will help farmers diversify their sources of income.

Suraj Wagle, a bee farmer from Thaprek, said they have been motivated after the honey they produced entered the global market. “It is a matter of great pleasure that our product has entered the international market. If the market expands further, it will help farmers to continue in this profession,” he said.

According to Wagle, more than 500 farmers are engaged in beekeeping in the area. The beekeeping programme implemented under the National Agricultural Modernisation Programme (formerly the Prime Minister’s Agricultural Modernisation Project) has played a significant role in expanding commercial beekeeping locally. Initially started with 10 farmers, the programme has now reached 500.

Wagle currently has 25 beehives, and he plans to increase the number of hives to 200 in the coming days. “The value and market of honey are both improving, so I am thinking of increasing production by investing more,” he said.

A leading farmer in the area, Nandu Thapa Magar, said that the marketing of honey produced here abroad is a great joy for farmers. “There is good demand abroad for honey produced here. Beekeeping is the main source of income for farmers, and every household here has beehives. Marketing will attract more farmers towards beekeeping,” he said.

Dr Swarnim Wagle, vice president of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Member of Parliament elected from Tanahun Constituency No. 1, highlighted that the Katus honey produced in Tanahun has reached the international market, presenting it as an important example of Nepal’s economic potential.

Taking to social media, Wagle said that the honey produced in the area has started selling in the global market under the brand name Marani Chestnut Honey, and he highlighted the potential to establish Nepali products at an international level with high value. He praised the role of the Himalayan Treasure brand under Surya Nepal in reaching the global market through unique processing, quality testing, modern packaging and effective marketing of Nepali products.

To ensure the quality of honey, Surya Nepal has been testing honey collected from various flower sources every month. In this process, the honey collected from the Katus forest in the month of Kartik (mid‑October to mid‑November) has been found to be of high quality and deemed suitable for the international market.

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