Government regulates stingless bee honey production law in RN
The decree that regulates the law that deals with the meliponiculture activity in Rio Grande do Norte was signed by Governor Fátima Bezerra on Thursday (26). Now, the small native bee honey producers, stingless, are legally supported in the state.
With the regulation, the expectation of the state government is that the activity will be leveraged, with qualitative and quantitative increase in production and consequent market expansion, mainly in the Central regions, West and Mato Grande, where there is a more massive presence of the honey production chain.
The extraction of stingless bee honey must be carried out by suction with equipment or utensil made of washable material that allows for proper cleaning, how to use micro vacuum, suction pump or plastic syringe, in a covered place, away from sources of contamination, protected from direct sunlight and other weather conditions.
According to the decree, the extracted honey must be placed in a container suitable for the purpose., being made of smooth material, waterproof and easy to clean, like glass or plastic, not tolerating the use of recycled containers that can transmit odor and taste to honey.
After extraction, honey that is sold in natura must be refrigerated at a temperature of 4 at 8ºC and be transported to the processing/filling unit. It is expressly forbidden to mix honeys of different species..
processing, stingless bee honey filling and labeling (ASF) must be carried out in an establishment registered with the Official Inspection Service. For processing, the previous environmental licensing of the activity is mandatory..
"This was an old demand of producers [the regulation of the law]. When defining the standards for management, production and marketing, we are creating conditions for the sustainable extraction of this type of honey, known for its medicinal properties, expand in RN", said the governor.
For the holder of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing in Rio Grande do Norte (dig), Guilherme Saldanha, this is a "fantastic" advance for everyone in the honey production chain. "Stingless bees and Jandaíra honey are items with great tradition and wide popular recognition in our state. But, Unfortunately, had never been regulated. This rescue and will allow, for example, that Jandaíra honey be sold in the best restaurants in the country's major centers, can be enjoyed throughout Brazil. It's a huge market opening up and that's something to celebrate", declared the secretary.
The president of the Association of Young Agroecologists Friends of Cabeço (JOCA), Francisco Melo Medeiros, enthusiastically received the regulation. "It's the recognition of a fight, the vocation of the population that works with the preservation of native stingless bees. Our expectation is to increase the number of producers because we now have a way to legally make trade possible", emphasized.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.