ហ៊ន់ សៀងហៃ, owner of a Khmer bee farm among rubber plantations in Tboung Khmum province, says this year’s honey harvest appears lower than in previous years and prices have also fallen.
He attributes the smaller harvest to extreme heat and pesticide spraying by rubber and longan plantation owners affecting his bee farm. He says many queen bees died, leading to lower honey yields.
He says honey currently sells for only KHR50,000–60,000 per litre, compared with KHR70,000–80,000 in previous years, when there were fewer beekeepers than today.
The report says the Khmer bee farm among rubber plantations in Tboung Khmum currently has more than 300 hives to house bees and produce honey, supplying the market with around 5,000–6,000 litres a month.
By Pai Sokhim
