Bee Master Plans to Increase Honey Production and Export in 2022

Cooperative Bee Master launched in 2018 in the village of Tela, Lagodekhi Municipality, plans to increase honey production by 10-15% in 2022, for which they will invest about 15 thousand GEL.

Speaking to BM.GE, Mariana Gelashvili, chairwoman of the cooperative Bee Master, said that the cooperative currently has 5 shareholders, produces up to 30 tons of honey annually and employs up to 15 people seasonally.

At the moment, the members of the cooperative produce honey made from one denomination - Caucasian flower nectar and lime and sell it in 2-volume packaging only on the local market, but from this year the company plans to purchase special equipment for honey production to increase production efficiency.

"In case of multiplication of bee families, we will be able to increase production volumes, so we want to automate production, for which we will need about 10-15 thousand GEL. We will try to get this money by participating in state programs," said the chairman of the cooperative Bee Master. 

Mariana Gelashvili notes that increasing the volume of honey production will enable them to become more active in the export direction and hopes that from this year the cooperative will start working on the development of Eastern countries after the local market.

"The most important challenge is to find key markets. We have to say that the interest in our honey was from a specific importer from the United Arab Emirates 2 years ago. We also sent samples. They liked the quality of the honey, but they only wanted to make honey from one plant, and our honey is made from a bouquet of flowers. Because of this they refrained. The cooperative plans to export honey to export markets. There is interest, so once we establish ourselves in the local market, we want to export honey to Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Maybe we will do it in 2022 as well," said the beekeeper.