Walking the less tread path, a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) or Farmer Producer Company (FPC) at Puttur in Dakshina Kannada has launched value-added products of honey and its wax, produced from its farmer members.
The promoters of Gramajanya Farmers Producer Company Ltd. which has launched the products claim that it is the pioneer and the only FPO in Karnataka that is into contract farming of apiculture now.
Ramapratheek Kariyal and Shree Nandan Kunnihitlu, who are among the directors of the company, told The Hindu that the company has 12 valued-added products made from honey and its wax to its credit. The products included lip balm, moisturizer cream, mascara, dry fruits honey, super seeds in honey, dry fruits honey jam, bird eye chilli flavour honey, ginger flavour honey, honey ginger candy, honey amla candy, honey peanut butter and beeswax body lotion.
“When we, a team of 11 members, launched the products we were not sure about the response and demand from consumers. But, the demand is now beyond our expectation,” said Mr. Kariyal.
The company was launched in 2020 and it took to contract farming the next year. “About 100 farmer members produced 3.50 tonnes of honey during 2021-22 season,” Mr. Kariyal said adding that the production or harvesting season was from February to May.
The FPC has so far not availed any fund from the government and manages its affairs from the share capital of its 300 odd members.
The method
Under the contract farming, the member farmers will have to invest only on the cost of beehives which varies from ₹1,600 to ₹2,200 per box. Once the beehives are placed in the land of member farmers, the FPC manages all the works and rewards the members according to the honey yield. The company handles supervision, harvesting and purchase of honey according to the buy-back agreement. It also trains members on handling the beehives. A member farmer will have to keep a minimum of five boxes. An annual maintenance fee fixed per box will have to be paid.
“We have formed eight clusters for placing the beehives. About 75 boxes are kept in a cluster in the radius of about four km. There are about 520 boxes now,” Mr. Kariyal said.
The FPC purchases honey from member farmers on a price agreed upon. This price varies depending on the market rate. It is not mandatory that the members should sell it only to the company. A member is free to sell the honey outside if gets higher price.
The FPC is headed by Ramakrishna Bhat Kurumbudelu as its Chairman.
