Beekeeping
Our beekeepers
We partner with 305 beekeepers: 85 women and 220 youth. Each beekeeper has 500–1,000 hives. Together, we select suitable sites near to nectar, pollen, pastures and water. This reduces the flying range of bees to 2–4 km from the hive.
Our beekeepers move their beehives through Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Kayin, Mon, Shan, Kachin, and Bago states. They travel from site to site like nomads, carting their precious hives and often camping out to care and manage the bees.
It is a dedicated profession, following the blossoms, from area to area, crossing rivers, mountains, states, and harvesting honey from diverse flora – pulses, oilseeds and beans to fruit like jujuba and lychee trees and rubber plantations.
“It's not easy for women in the beekeeping business but we thank Golden Myanmar Honey Co. Ltd. for supporting our business, beekeepers, organizations, and our children's education.”
Ms. Khin Cho Latt, Myanmar Beekeeper, September 2022
Youth thrive in this profession; they learn so much and have freedom as well as respect as beekeepers making a viable living. The Southern Shan state mountains are generally plateau and the central and delta areas flat, making it easy to move, manage hives, and collect and process honey using good practices.
Generally, they can get 3–5 collections/harvests per season, depending on the bees and the supply of food.
Our beekeepers are very knowledgeable about the best locations that provide enough food and water for the bees. Together, we select sites near to nectar, pollen, pastures and water for a continuous supply of food and drink. This reduces the flying range of the bees to 2–4 km from the hive.
Mr. Chit Tin Oo coordinates our beekeepers. He works with well-established and reliable 40 beekeeper business groups with 7–8 beekeepers in each group. In one year, they produce 200–300 tons of honey. These beekeepers also participate in the national residues monitoring plan.
“I have been operating a beekeeping business for 20 years. I have worked together with Golden Myanmar Honey Co. Ltd. since 2015, and we are grateful to them.”
Mr. Chit Tin Oo, Beekeeper, Myanmar
Every year, we arrange training from the Department of Agriculture Extension Services. They train our beekeepers on good beekeeping practices, provide information about quality, and ensure that hygiene practices follow good beekeeping practices (GBP).
They also train on how to ensure the bees are safe and not impacted by pesticides, so our beekeepers check the sites before choosing the apiaries.
We also source honey from other small-scale beekeepers who follow our honey quality standards.
Queen bee & workers
We work with the European honey bee. These bees work very hard. They are efficient pollinators and miracle workers, creating a better quality of crops and livelihoods for beekeepers.
Golden Myanmar Honey Company develops and maintains a healthy environment for the bees’ production of honey. We really care for our bees. We want to make sure that beekeepers use the right chemicals in their treatment of bees, and that the bees are healthy.
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A functioning, healthy hive needs a queen. We manage the hives to protect the queen. She is so important. The average queen bee will live for 2–5 years. We value control the population of the hive to ensure ongoing production and quality honey for years to come.
Our hives also include smaller female bees or worker bees that collect honey and maintain the hive, while the larger males are drones.
We respect nature and ensure the hives are safe to function for all – the bees themselves, nature (pollination), and our beekeepers’ livelihoods.
Harvesting honey
Our beekeepers follow GBP farming systems. When they know it’s time to harvest honey, not much can hold them back. Before they run out to the beehives and start peeling back the hive tops though, they take some safety precautions and have a plan of action.
Our beekeepers are trained in hygienic best practices. They are independent and have their own veil, smoker, and tools. They uncap the honey using a knife, fork or scratcher on both sides of the frame.
They place the frame into a hand-cranked honey extractor (centrifuge) and spin the frames, forcing the honey out of the comb. The honey is spun to the sides of the extractor and then drains out the bottom into a collection clean drum ready to be transported to our factory in 300kg food grade drums.