Nigeria will start exporting bees to other countries next year, according to Dr Bidemi Ojeleye, National President, Federation of Beekeepers Association of Nigeria, has said.
He said on Friday that a European Union team had visited Nigeria for training and guidelines on the residue monitoring plans for bee export.
Ojeleye, who is also Director, Centre for Bee Research and Development, Ibadan, spoke on the sideline of this year’s “Honey Bee Day’’ in Abuja.
According to him, Nigeria is working towards being listed among the EU bee exporting countries.
“For a trade in bees within the European Union, the general conditions that apply to ‘other’ live animals apply as the conditions are laid down in the EU Council Directive,’’ he said.
Ojeleye said that Nigeria was blessed with clean organic honey which was globally ranked amongst the best in the world.
According to him, the Federation of Bee keepers also hosted free training on bee production for interested youths across the country.
He said that the Federal Government has made available bee keeping equipment to interested youths at subsidised rates to popularise its production among young people.
Ojeleye said in addition to making honey, bees also pollinated all sorts of fruits, wild plants and vegetables.
“Bee products are used as raw materials for the production of medicine, cosmetics and lost wax casting.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that of the 100 crop species that provide 90 per cent of food worldwide, 71 are pollinated by bees.
