Public encouraged to purchase overstocked honey in quake area

CHENGDU - Officials in Sichuan province asked people to purchase tens of thousands of kilograms of unsold honey in Jiuzhaigou county after an earthquake hit the region on Aug 8.

Beekeepers in the quake area have been affected by poor sales of honey since the Jiuzhaigou scenic area stopped accepting tourists, and some roads connecting the area with the outside world were damaged after the quake, according to the Work Committee for Organizations directly under the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee.

"According to statistics, more than 65,000 kilograms of honey across the 17 townships in the county failed to be sold," said Wang Chengxian, deputy director with the work committee.

Jiuzhaigou is famous for its honey, which has become a major source of income for local residents.

After hearing the news, the work committee along with Sichuan poverty alleviation and relocation bureau encouraged officials and government staff to buy the honey in the quake area.

"When my colleagues and I received a notice, we started purchasing honey. It is what we should do," said Zhang Yang with Sichuan provincial forestry department.

But the government efforts alone are not enough to help residents in the quake area overcome their difficulties. Zhang said that they hope the public will join them.

A 7.0-magnitude quake rocked Jiuzhaigou county on Aug. 8, leaving 24 dead and hundreds injured.