CBL’s bid to uplift beekeeping

Ceylon Biscuits Limited (CBL) once again has been at the receiving end of an international accolade of recognition with the prestigious ARTGOLD program of the UNDP coming forward at its request to render assistance to the company’s corporate social endeavours.

UNDP has promised to render assistance on an equal equity basis on a longtime project period of three years. The initial phase of the program envisages the increase of honey production by 100 percent and the project will be set afloat on April 28 at Keppetipola where over 150 beekeepers wer given bee boxes, smokers and protective gear.

While each 10 member farmer group will be provided with a Centrifugal Honey extractor, a long awaited need; each farmer group will also attend five training programs during the next six months covering the important technical aspects of judicious management of a bee colony for higher production.

The project has its roots in the 2008/2009 era when CBL decided to give a helping hand to the beekeepers in the Badulla District to uplift the once flourishing industry. The industry reached a crescendo during the Upper Catchment Area Development Program of the Mahaweli Project and showed a rapid downhill race thereafter.

CBL in its intervention offered a Guaranteed Price Scheme together with the services of its proven and sophisticated marketing network.

Company researches indicated that although Sri Lanka had the ideal inherent environment for abundant, quality honey production, that ironically over 50 tons of honey is imported annually. This project in collaboration with ARTGOLD, UNDP no doubt breathes in fresh air to one of our traditional industries giving it a new lease of life.