Rajamahendravaram: New products help Girijan Cooperative Corporation boost its sales

Rajamahendravaram: The Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC) is putting its endeavour in honey purification by involving tribals in honey collection and through advanced purification machinery. A purification plant with a capacity of 2,500 kgs per day was installed by spending an amount of Rs 8 lakh in 2016. GCC is collecting 4 lakh kg raw honey per annum of it 2.50 lakh kg raw honey comes from Chintapalli, Rampachodavaram, Paderu, Srisailam and Tirupati forest areas from 2,000 tribal honey collectors. GCC procures the remaining honey of 1.50 lakh kgs from the other states.

As many as 93-95 kg of pure honey comes from 100 kg of raw honey after purification. GCC purchases one kg of honey for Rs 195 and sells it for Rs 375 per kg after purification.

According to GCC divisional manager J Yustus, honey processing was aimed to remove impurities in raw honey such a dead bees, ants, wax particles, excess pollen and other particles. In 2016-17 as many as 1,58,475 kgs of raw honey was processed and in 2017-18, 1.56,952 kgs of raw honey processed.

He said the annual turnover of unit is Rs 4.50 crore and in 2016-17, the unit earned a net profit of Rs 75 lakh. Honey sold in bottles from 50 gms to 5 kgs.

Meanwhile, GCC also produced a sherbet 'Nannari' from the roots of Maredugaddalu available in Nallamala forest in 2015. GCC also launched Bilva Sheret in 2016 prepared from dry Maredukayalu. Honey prepared by GCC is having a good demand in the market and plans are afoot to strengthen the processing unit to meet the growing demand.