An alliance of farmers operating, under the name Chamunya Cooperative, is earning rewards through production and supply of honey products.
The cooperative, based in Kajembe Kumwenda Village in Traditional Authority Chindi in Mzimba District has over 300 members divided into clubs within the three clusters of Luweya, Mzambizi and Kapondo.
Secretary for Chamunya Cooperative, Edward Grand Nkhata said since making an alliance few years ago, the cooperative has increased honey production, enabling the farmers to supply honey products in large quantities.
“Before forming this cooperative, we used to make few profits due to poor production and lack of market, but after coming together, everything has changed,” he said.
Nkhata said the cooperative has over 1,000 beehives, a development that enables it to harvest thousands of kilogrammes in honey products.
“As we are speaking, we have already harvested 4,111.6 kilogrammes of honey that we have already sold at a price of K21 million to Kwithu Kitchen Company,” said Nkhata.
He said the recent sale represents just the initial portion of their cooperative’s harvest.
“We expect to harvest and sell over 10,000 kilogrammes of honey by the end of the current harvest,” he added.
The group expects to generate over K50 million during the current harvest season, and an average of K40 million in the near future.
The group’s exploits compelled the Agricultural Commercialisation (AGCOM) to disburse a grant of K47 million earlier this year which the group used to procure honey pressers, smokers, bee suits, honey extracting machines and honey refractometers.
According to AGCOM Country Director Dr Ted Nankhumwa, Chamunya Cooperative will continue receiving grants from the organisation.
