TANZANIA honey products continue to carve own niche in capturing foreign markets following a Tabora- based company to secure a vast market for the natural sweet syrup in some overseas countries.

Earlier this month, the Tanzania International Bee Company, exported at least 12 tons of organic honey to Albania and Kosovo in southern Europe, as well as in North Macedonia and Serbia.

The company has sealed a deal with the world's reputable food company, RR NTS BESI, for the exportation of 150tons of organic bulk honey per year.

Musiba Kitema, the director of Tanzania International Bee Company told The Guardian during an exclusive interview that the achievements resulted from improved efforts by the government to heighten the economic sector.

"Currently, among others, the government has worked to put in place a workable Digital Traceability System (DTS) which assists the foreign companies to trace the whole stages involved in the honey value chain through a tailor -made code," he said.

He added, the cloud- connected system is providing technical opportunity for the foreign honey purchaser companies to be assured over the quality of the locally produced honey, exacerbating to influx of the companies in Tanzania.

Kitema stated that although the foreign honey market attracts good prices, the company is working to start exporting finished processed and packaged products.

" For instance, currently the company buys one kg of organic raw honey from between 3.5 and 4 USD, but after processing, they market it in their overseas markets at a better price of between 50 and 60 USD per kg," he informed.

He underscored over the need for the local honey producers to work teeth and nail in order to export the proceeded honey in order to realize attracting profits.

However, he expressed, as per the agreement entered with the company, after processing the honey, the company is supposed to package it under the local brand name in order to market Tanzania's honey products globally," he said .

" Formerly we exported honey to Netherlands whereby they packaged it under the brand name of 'Kilimanjaro Honey' and the consignment which we exported recently will be marketed under the name of ' Tabora Honey' , he informed.

He said the company, Tanzania International Bee Company, is in contract with over 200 beekeepers in Katavi, Tabora and Kigoma so as to ensure availability of enough honey tonnages for exporting.

"We're assisting the beefarmers under the contract on better ways to produce improved products which reflects the needed international standards," he added.

He hailed the newly refurbished Tanzania Beekeeping Development Organization (TABEDO) for working diligently to support the smooth growth of the sector.

Beekeeping in Tanzania is a common economic activity practiced by both traditional and novice beekeepers in the production of bee products mainly honey and beeswax.

According to the ministry of tourism and natural resources, production potential of bee products is about 138,000 MT of honey and 9,200 MT of beeswax per annum, from estimated 9.2 million honeybee colonies.