From Kano to the world: Inside the Darki honey business

At the famous Darki market in Wudil Local Government Area of Kano State, honey business has not only become very popular but has expanded beyond Nigerian borders, thus boosting regional trade among some West African countries, Weekend Trust can report.

This commodity has connected Nigerian traders with their counterparts in countries like Niger Republic, Burkina Faso and Cote D’Ivoire.

Weekend Trust reports that honey worth millions of naira is being transported to those countries from Darki market on a weekly basis.

Although honey business has a short value-chain, it has huge benefits. It is one of the flourishing trades at the market. Traders from far and near converge on Darki market for honey trading every Thursday.

Weekend Trust learnt that commercial transactions worth millions of naira are being conducted among traders at the market. It was further observed that the bulk of the honey sold at the market is largely sourced from Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, Jigawa, Bauchi states and parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

It was also observed that a large consignment of honey is being transported to the three African countries and states like Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Benue, Gombe, Yobe, Borno and the FCT for onward sale to customers.

All types of honey – red, black and white – are not only available at Darki market but also found in a large quantity. However, despite the huge economic benefits of the business to Kano State in particular and Nigeria in general, the persistent security challenge ravaging the North is posing a serious threat to the honey business, according to some farmers.

Malam Mu’azu Muhammad, a honey farmer who has been in the business for many years, told our reporter that honey business is no longer promising, lamenting that the issue of insecurity is affecting it negatively.

“I don’t restrict myself to Gaya Local Government Area. I also source honey from other places, such as Lafiya, Doma and Keffi in Nasarawa State and parts of Jigawa and Bauchi states.

“In fact, I go to any place that has a forest. You know honey is largely found in the forest. Unfortunately, insecurity is affecting our business. We are no longer going deep into the forest for fear of bandits. Before, we went to several places, but nowadays, we have restricted our movement.

“Even the few places we go, we don’t enter deep into the forest for fear of bandits. Presently, we are getting more honey in Nasarawa State than other states. We are sourcing it from places like Doma, Akwanga, Agyaragu, Yelwa, Lafiya and Nasarawan Tot,” Muhammad said.

Weekend Trust further gathered that another challenge affecting the business is indiscriminate tree felling. As people continue to cut trees in the forest, the bees migrate. Most of the trees that are attracting the bees have been removed and taken away by firewood sellers.

According to Muhammad, unless this problem is addressed, the business will continue to decline. And the government and other relevant authorities concerned must take decisive measures against indiscriminate tree felling to safeguard the business of honey.

“This is an important business because it is significant to human life; it is being used for many purposes, including medicine. It cures so many illnesses. So, the government should not joke with it.

“Safeguarding the trees means saving the honey farming in this part of the country. It is unfortunate that most of our forests have been taken over by bandits, thereby preventing us from going in to get the honey,” he noted.

Malam Salisu Dan Ali Tsakuwa, another farmer who sources honey from Kaduna and Niger states, as well as Niger Republic, said, “Before this spate of insecurity, I used to go to Birnin Gwari and parts of Niger State to source for honey. When the banditry started, I and my colleagues moved to Niger Republic.

“However, we returned to the Birnin Gwari axis last year because banditry subsided in that area. Unfortunately, we are not getting honey like before. For instance, in some places that I hitherto got three calabashes, now, I hardly get one.”

Another honey farmer, Audu Musa Gaya, who learnt the business from childhood, said the act, which he learnt from his forefathers, was worth doing.

He affirmed that the business of honey meant everything to him, saying, “I built a house, bought a motorcycle, own several farmlands and married off my seven daughters, courtesy of this business.

“I usually source my honey from Kagarko, Jere in Kaduna State and parts of Niger State and the FCT. Things are not like before; we are no longer getting adequate honey as we did some years back. People have cut off most of the trees for cooking purposes.

“I used to spend a week in the places I source honey. Sometimes I bring 10 to 15 calabashes to Darki market every week. I don’t take my honey to any other place apart from this market. I have been into this business for over 60 years now.

“I sell a small calabash of honey to dealers between N40,000 and N60,000. A big calabash is sold at N100,000 or N150,000. You can as well get a calabash of N80.000 and 70,000. The prices largely depend on the quality of the honey and size of the calabash.

Malam Yunusa Dawa, who is both a honey farmer and dealer and has been in the business for decades, said they supplied the commodity to all parts of Nigeria and beyond.

He said, “I don’t know any other business apart from this. I have been into it since childhood. In fact, that’s our family business. My father and all my siblings are major stakeholders in this business.

“Beyond Nigeria, I supply honey to Niger Republic, Burkina Faso and Abdijan, the capital of Cote D’Ivoire. Within Nigeria, we take it to Abuja, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, Yobe, Gombe, Jigawa, Kebbi, Yobe, Zamfara, Kaduna and Sokoto states. I supply all types of honey to these places on a weekly basis, depending on the demand.

“For Niger Republic and Burkina Faso, we normally supply white and red honey. For places like Kano, Abuja, Kaduna and Katsina, we supply white, red and black honey. For our customers in Abidjan, they prefer black and white honey over any other type. However, the white honey is the most expensive.

“At the peak of the market, a dealer can supply between 10 and 20 calabashes, depending on his capital. Those that have enough capital are supplying up to 70 calabashes of honey to customers in the neighbouring countries.

“The price depends on the quality of the product and size of the calabash. A small calabash can be sold at N30,000, N40,000 and N50,000, a medium size at N80,000, N100,000 and even N120,000, while the big calabash is sold between N150,000 and N170,000.

Malam Aminu Musa, a famous middleman at the honey section of Darki market, also lamented the decline in the business, saying that several middlemen have quit the business.

Musa said the business was no longer profitable, especially to the middlemen. He explained, “With the coming of mobile phones, most of the transactions are done between the farmers and dealers, even before they arrive at the market.

“We are gradually being excluded from the business as our roles have been minimised. The farmers communicate with dealers and conclude the business, even before the market day. Very few of the dealers involve us when they come to the market to enable us have something from the transactions.

“However, Alhamdulillah, despite the difficulties associated with the business, we are still benefitting from it. Although not like before, we are still earning our living from the business. We thank God that the business keeps going.”

UPDATE NEWS:

Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder,

click here to find out how it works.