Prashant Khadka

April 10: Mahalakshmi Shrestha, who started producing honey for the domestic market of Nepal about 27 years ago, is now exporting the product to Japan. Her products 'TBS Pure Honey' and 'KASTI Himalayan Honey' are now exported to Japan, China and other countries.

About 10 percent of the 12 tons of honey Shrestha produces annually at her company named ‘Beekeeping Shop’ is exported to Japan and China. Nepali honey is in good demand even in European countries as the product is considered better in quality as compared to foreign products. However, she says that the European Union (EU) did not include Nepal in the list of third countries for importing honey, because of its flaw in implementing the National Residue Monitoring Plan (NRMP). That is the reason Shrestha says she could not export her honey to European countries.

Shrestha’s company is producing honey by rearing bees in 80 hives in Chitwan and Dang. Besides, the company is working with beekeepers of Kailali, Pyuthan, Dang, Bardiya and other districts to check the quality and send it to the market with branding. Honey is sold in Nepal from her own Beekeeping Shop, online shop Daraz and Salesberry department store. Shrestha said that her Beekeeping Shop itself is looking after the foreign exports.

Shrestha said that organic honey in her company is made by bees that suck the flowers of plants like Indian butter tree, mustard, lychee and buckwheat. The price of honey of both the brands ranges from Rs 900 to Rs 1,200 per kg depending on the quality. Shrestha said, “I started my business with a small investment of around Rs 100,000. I continued to work hard even though the income was not good. But gradually, customers started frequenting after tasting the honey and the market size increased along with the profit as well.”

Shrestha expressed that the practice of eating honey in urban areas of Nepal was not developed when she planned to open the Beekeeping Shop. She said, “My research shows that few people used to buy and eat foreign brands of honey.”

A student of botany, she was conducting research on the quality of Nepali honey and modern beekeeping in the SNV project run with the help of the Dutch government at that time.

She said that she started working about 27 years ago after seeing good potential of commercial beekeeping in Nepal following the same research. At present, 35 people including 30 beekeepers and 5 workers are employed in the business. She estimated that only 10 to 15 percent of the total beekeeping potential has been achieved in Nepal.

Shrestha recalled, “When I started the Beekeeping Shop at Man Bhawan in Lalitpur, my family, friends and relatives tried to discourage me saying that it didn’t suit me doing such work, being a bachelor's degree holder in botany. But I did not give up. I didn't start this job because I couldn't get a job. I chose to do this work of my free will and continued to work hard in the same direction, while ensuring the quality of the product, and it made me a successful woman entrepreneur today.”