BEEKEEPERS are being encouraged to use technology to aid in the productivity of their businesses.

Chief plant protection officer in charge of the Apiculture unit in the Ministry of Agriculture, Hugh Smith, has been charged with protecting the industry and ensuring its sustained growth. During the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show in Clarendon, Smith had a layout of gadgets on display, which he says have been around for a while but farmers are slow to adopt. He began pointing out the technology, starting with the commonly used electronic refractometer.

“All beekeepers need a refractometer. We’re not there yet. All beekeepers need to know how to use one, and all beekeepers need to know how to manage the product so as to prevent spoilage or reduce spoilage,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

A refractometer checks the moisture content of honey, something that would be unknown to farmers with the naked eye. “So you take your glass, [he demonstrated], attach a tip of honey, place this over it, and you can use this to see what amount of moisture is inside with this moisture. You can determine your moisture content; if it has too much moisture, it will ferment,” he explained. While the refractometer determines the moisture content, if paired with a dehumidifier, farmers will be able to dry out some of the excess moisture. He admits the dehumidifier device is a little bit bulky, but it will prevent fermentation.

“You could put all your honey in there, expel excess moisture, bring it up to about 15 or 17 or 18 per cent moisture content, and that can be used to remove some of the water. So while you remove that water, you will not have that fermentation taking place, so it’s easier to have that honey,” he shared with the Business Observer.

Another device that is more basic in its use is a honey dispenser. It determines the weight and measurement of bottled honey. He gave an example with packaging, saying that the days of holding a bottle with shakey hands can be solved by equipment that has a scale and a shut-off system. While an extraction line is much easier, Smith suggests that small farmers would greatly benefit from its use.

“All bee farmers should have somewhere to determine how much product they are giving their customers; it must be calibrated by the competent authority. They need an uncapping point and need to use the uncapping method using proper tools, and they can also increase their efficiency by using different embedding machines,” Smith said.

An embedding board is used for applying wax foundation to frames. It holds the frame in place when applying wax. He recommends that farmers use an electric embedder for wax foundation instead of working hard to get their wax sheet on. “You have a foot-operated point, and the point will supply you with current that would run along the line, heat the wire up, and the wax would melt around the wire — this would reduce your time by about 60 per cent,” Smith revealed.

As the beekeeping industry becomes more lucrative, Smith is also reminding farmers to use technology for safety, which includes tracking, cameras, and branding.