For the first time this year, mustard is being grown on hill land in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar, and honey is being produced with the help of bees. Farmers of the Chakma community are reportedly profiting from it.

Chakma farmers have grown mustard on 8 hectares of hill land in the Chakma village at Whykong Harikhola in Teknaf. Men and women are working in the mustard fields day and night, with the women giving their time during the day. Bee boxes are placed around the fields; the bees collect nectar from the flowers, and the farmers then collect the honey. A single box yields 10-12 kg of honey in two months.

Tainchao Chakma, a farmer in Whykong Harikhola, said: "This year, after rice and vegetables, I started growing mustard. The aim is to produce completely pure, good-quality honey."

"I have grown mustard on 33 decimals of land to produce honey. This is the first time in a hill area that we have started producing honey from mustard flowers with the help of bees. One kilogram of honey can be sold for Tk 2,000," he said.

Md Saruwar Kader Joy, the sub-assistant agriculture officer in charge of Whykong, said: "This rabi season, mustard has been grown on 8 hectares in the Chakma village. About 10-12 kg of honey can be collected from one bee box within two months. Each box holds about seven combs or plates. The bees sit on the flowers, collect the nectar and store it in the box."

He said: "Honey production with mustard is a first for Teknaf upazila, and it is in the Harikhola Chakma village area. It is a team of about 20-25 groups. Women as well as men are involved in honey production, and they are profiting from it. Young Chakma people are also coming forward to expand it."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.