Sundarban Honey has a huge demand for its nutritional value & purity. It is collected from wildflowers in the mangrove forests where the Ganges flows into the Bay of Bengal. It's a classic, multiflora honey having multiple health benefits. The lives of people of the Moulis community (traditional honey collectors) residing in the region are transforming.
Why is it called Blood Honey?
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Home to the Royal Bengal tigers, the risk to life is so high that this honey is called “Blood Honey”. And it is nearly twice as expensive as the branded honey.
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As per locals, there are many cases of people being attacked by tigers when they go into the forests to collect honey in this area. The intensity of risk is so high as every year people die venturing into the forests to collect honey.
Benefits of Blood Honey:
There are many benefits associated with this money are as follows:
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Rich source of antioxidants, especially phenolic compounds
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Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties
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Topical application can heal wounds and burns; acts on acne and dandruff as well
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Imbibing orally can alleviate allergies, boost memory, aid in digestion and sleep
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Heals a sore throat, common cough & common cold
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Good source of flavonoids which reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma
Organizations Involved:
Right now, there are some local organizations like Bonphool, Dhenki, and Sundarini Naturals that are investing in safer procedures to collect honey and growing yearly with the significant rise in demand.
Sundarban Banaraksha Bahumukhi Samabay Samity, which deployed bee boxes in the protected forest area and farms their own honey. This Samity is one of the three self-help groups (SHG) started by the Joint Forest Management Committee, a partnership body of the local community and the forest department, to facilitate the community an alternative livelihood.
“We now have multiple camps in the forest where bee boxes are maintained. We have placed these boxes in protected areas, which traditional beekeepers maintain as samitys (cooperatives) formed with the help of the forest department. The department helped us get a loan from the West Bengal State Cooperative Bank,” says Pralay Samanta, member of the cooperative who handles the marketing of the brand of this honey, Bonphool.
“People often ask why Sundarban honey is more expensive. Firstly, one major part of our cost input is going deep into the forest area. This means that there is also nothing like pesticides or chemicals or any other impurities in this. Additionally, the purpose of ventures like this is the financial upkeep of this community too. So, we have to keep our prices a bit high,” he says.
(Source: Business Insider India)
