Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, May 8: There is high demand for wild honey that is produced between April and end of May. The delay in monsoon this year around has increased the yield of wild honey in the Dakshina Kannada (DK) district. The Koraga community is expert in finding bee hives in forest.

Collecting wild honey is livelihood of people living close to forests for around one and half month of the year. They collect pure and natural honey from the forest along with the comb and sell it from house to house. This honey is used in variety of home medicines. It is sold in Kudthe (a kind of old way of measure). One Kudthe costs around Rs 100 to Rs 120.

Bees build comb on trees that are very tall, holes made in bamboo tree and burrows. These are very difficult to access. Removing them is a very difficult task. If the comb is seen in trees, one has to climbs the tree with rope, axe, knife and vessel. Later, avoiding the bee bite the honey has to be lowered carefully through rope.

In last three years, the yield was less as monsoon began in March itself. The bees which begin collecting the honey from March, drink the same as soon as the first rains shower and change the place of building the comb. However, this year, as the rains of summer months are delayed, the honey is still in the combs.