The massive blooming of wild flora this year, after a better summer rain received in major forest areas of the district, gives fresh hope to tribespeople who collect wild honey for a living.
The honey-harvest season is from April to September. At the advent of April, tribal people, chiefly the Kattunaicker (Thaen Kuruma) tribe, will start preparing for their treasure-hunt deep in the forests.
Wild honey bees make hives every year on the same trees, which the tribal people call ‘honey trees.’
“We are expecting a good harvest this season as the huge trees, locally called Thanni, Karimaruthu, and Venthekku, bloomed well this year,” K. Kullan, a tribal chieftain of the Ponkuzhi Kattunaicker settlement, told The Hindu .
Procurement
The Sulthan Bathery Scheduled Tribes Cooperative Society at Kallur, the largest minor forest produce-collecting agency in the district, has procured 1,520 kg of big-bee (apis dorsata) honey and 1,256 kg of small-bee (apis florea) honey in April and May this year. It was 1,550 kg of big-bee honey and 1,318 kg small-bee honey during the corresponding period last year. It had collected 25,600 kg big-bee honey and 21,000 kg small-bee honey last season.
Though the harvest season usually starts in April, a large quantity of honey will be harvested between June and July, P.M. George, secretary of the society, says.
The society pays the tribespeople Rs.210 a kg for big-bee honey and Rs.220 a kg for small-bee honey.
He said 10 per cent of the total collection would be provided as bonus to them after auctioning the minor forest produce.
The tribal cooperative societies at Pulpally and Appapara, near Thirunelly, are also procuring wild honey from tribespeople.
