The Director General of the Department of Agriculture, Dr. Tushara Wickramarachchi, says that Sri Lanka plans to increase local honey production four times within the next few years.
At present, local honey production is about 50 metric tons, and the plan is to increase it to 200 metric tons. The number of bee boxes, which is currently around 17,000, will also be increased to improve production capacity. He said this while attending the International Bee Day celebration held in Gannoruwa.
To mark International Bee Day, the Department of Agriculture organized a bee awareness walk from the Service Editing Training Institute in Gannoruwa to Sahas Uyana in Kandy this morning. International Bee Day falls on May 20, and the main celebration will be held at the Bee Development Unit of the Variyapola Agriculture College. The walk was organized as a promotional event for the celebration.
The purpose of the walk was to educate the public about beekeeping, introduce plants suitable for bees, and raise awareness about pests that affect bees.
Speaking at the event, the Director General said that one out of every three food items people eat is connected to the work of bees. He also said that 35% of agricultural production depends on bees and pollination. Without bees, the world would lose about 500 billion dollars in income, which would threaten food security and the survival of humans and other living beings.
Officials from the Department of Agriculture, agriculture college students, and members of bee protection organizations took part in the awareness walk.
— Nadeeka Daya Bandara, Kandy