Myagdi, 14 June: This year, the production of cliff honey has decreased in Myagdi. Honey hunters have reported that honey production has dropped by 75 percent compared to previous years.
Lok Bahadur Paija, a honey hunter from Swant in Annapurna Rural Municipality–5, Myagdi, said that while 1,000 liters of honey were collected last year, only 200 liters were produced this year. Paija’s team hunted honey for two days at Chhahari Cliff and Chhisko Taauko near Swant village.
He said the drop in production was due to a drought in the winter and rainfall during the honey-harvesting season, which prevented bees from reaching the foraging areas, causing them to consume the honey in the hives. In the highlands of Myagdi’s Annapurna, Raghuganga, and Dhaulagiri rural municipalities, it is customary to harvest cliff honey during the Nepali month of Jestha (May–June).
Spring and autumn are considered the ideal seasons for honey hunting. Spring is suitable for collecting cliff honey from the lower valleys, while autumn is favorable for harvesting in the highlands. Last year, the team of honey hunter Motiprasad Paija from Khoriya, Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality–2, had collected 2,000 liters of honey. However, this year, they have managed to collect only 500 liters.
Honey hunting teams who went to collect honey from cliffs in Gurja and Mudi of Dhaulagiri, Chimkhola and Kuinemangle of Raghuganga, and Histung of Annapurna have also reported a decline in honey production. Cliff bees usually inhabit the middle sections of steep cliffs located in sheltered areas near ravines. The wildflowers that bloom in the forest serve as the primary food source for these bees. During the winter, the bees descend to lower valleys in search of warmth, and as the temperature rises, they migrate back to the higher regions.
Cliff honey, which is harvested by hanging from dangerous cliffs with the help of ropes, is sold at a rate of NPR 3,000 to NPR 3,500 per liter. Known for its unique taste, health benefits, and energy-boosting properties, cliff honey is also used for religious purposes.
People living abroad and in cities often take cliff honey as a special gift. To harvest the honeycombs made by wild bees on cliffs, honey hunters hang on ropes (locally called parang) and carry out the dangerous task of honey hunting. The hunters are divided into two groups—one stationed at the top of the cliff and the other at the bottom.
The group at the top lowers the rope down the cliff, while the group at the bottom collects and tends to the harvested honey. The honeycombs are usually surrounded by swarms of bees. Smoke is used to drive the bees away. This moment requires special care and attention. When the hunter hanging on the parang begins to apply smoke to the comb, the other hunters hide behind trees or in caves to avoid being stung by the angry bees.
Only after the bees have flown away can the hunters safely come out and harvest the honey. The main honey hunter uses tools to cut the honeycomb, and the container filled with honey is then lowered to the ground using ropes.
