The Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) has assisted a small bee farming business in Simbu Province with bee keeping equipment to help boost its production capacity.
Bussy Honey & Integrated Farming is a family business owned by Mr. Mek Degene and his wife Mrs. Matri Degene and located in Ainanimin Village in the Tabare LLG, Simbu Province. The couple were appreciative of the IPA’s gesture and sincerely thanked the Organisation for their assistance.
The IPA support is a one-off sponsorship assistance given in the form of 40 beehive trays, industrial sugar feed for the beehives and honey extractor frame. The items were purchased from the PNG Beekeeping Supplies, a well-known SME in the Eastern Highlands province who also provides skillset training to local honey bee farmers.
In handing over the equipment to Bussy Honey & Integrated Farming, IPA Managing Director Mr. Clarence Hoot said the IPA was happy to support such impactful community-based projects in such small ways to contribute to their growth into a fully developed SME in the beekeeping and honey production industry.
“IPA does not provide funding to SMEs and this is a good-will gesture to Bussy Honey as one of the local SMEs we have worked with through our Hagen Office” Mr. Hoot said. “It is a success story of some of the promotional programs our Hagen based Highlands Regional Office has been doing in the Highlands region, “Mr. Hoot said.
Bussy Honey & Integrated Farming started off with only two beehives in 2021 and started selling their honey after registering their business in May 2022. Their honey product is now being supplied to a major retail outlet in Kundiawa. It comes in 500g jars and its brand name is BUSSY HONEY, Simbu’s own 100% pure organic Honey. With the IPA sponsored 40 beehives, they are now looking to supply throughout Simbu province.
PNG Beekeeping Supplies manager, Mr. Loie Tella thanked IPA for supporting Bussy Honey & Integrated Farming business stating that there was a huge need for capacity to develop the honey production industry in the country.
“PNG consumes 200 tonnes of honey annually while the local production capacity is at 120 tonnes only,” Mr Tella said. “Hence, the market is ready both domestically and internationally for us to develop this industry.”
Mr. Hoot reiterated that the IPA is here to promote such business opportunities and identify investment ready projects for both domestic and international markets and partnerships. He further called upon leaders and other government departments and agencies to support SMEs in the agriculture sector as such interventions could see agriculture SME propel to fully pledged businesses in future thus contributing to our economic development.
The presentation was witnessed by bee-farmers, DAL, Commerce and SME Officers from the Chimbu and Eastern Highlands provinces as well as representatives of the IPA senior management.
