InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA - Though by planting and developing palm oil, the smallholders get enough income, it is not wrong to develop other business. It could support their income, for instance, by breeding bees.

Planting and developing palm oil plantations must deliver enough income for some smallholders. But because fresh fruit bunch (FFB) price is in fluctuation still, their income may not be equal to the outcome to nurse the plantations. That is why it needs alternative income to support daily needs.

Just like independent smallholders in Sub district of Tebing Tinggi, Tanjung Jabung Barat and Sub district of Geragai Tanjung Jabung Timur, do.

“About five years ago, we started breeding bees around our plantations. We bought the nets from Yogyakarta, about 1000 boxes from our wallets, about Rp 2,5 million. We develop them with about 20 men per group,” Vincent Haryono, a smallholder from Tanjung Jabung Barat, recently said to InfoSAWIT.

They breed bees in their palm oil plantations which are next to acasia trees. Vincent who is the coordinator of Serikat Petani Kelapa Sawit in Tanjung Jabung Barat, told that their bee breeding develops more and more.

There have been 5000 boxes (houses) to breed bees. It involves 500 smallholders. Every smallholder is in charge to 10 houses. “The houses of bees are in many smallholders’ plantations about 5 kilometers per location of breeding,” he said.

Vincent also told breeding bees would depend on weather. If it is rainy season, honey production from one house would be less than one kilogram. But if it is not rainy season, it could be one to two kilogram per house. “We harvest every 15 days,” he said.

For bees’ houses got more, honey production that they breed could be up to 5 tons per two weeks. Vincent said, the honey has good quality. Many customers came from many regions. “For the past one year, breeding bees is profitable and helps us when FFB is not expensive,” he said. (T2)

For more, please read InfoSAWIT, February 2023