Honey processor sweet on Chinese market

DAR ES SALAAM — Four employees of a honey processing company located at Goba, 18 kilometers north of Tanzania's port city of Dar es Salaam, are busy making final preparations for their participation at the seventh edition of the China International Import Expo, which will be held in Shanghai from Nov 5 through Nov 10.

"We hope to capture the Chinese market of 1.4 billion people after showcasing our honey products during the five-day expo," said Jackson Mponela, production manager for commerce and development at Tanzania Future Enterprises Co Ltd.

The company, which produces, processes, packages, and sells beekeeping products, is among the 34 Tanzanian exhibitors at this year's CIIE, where they will showcase a variety of goods, including honey, agricultural produce, textiles, minerals, handicrafts, and industrial goods.

"Our honey products that will feature at the seventh CIIE include bee pollen, natural honey, honey sachets, and bee wax," Mponela told Xinhua in an interview on Monday.

With the motto "Home of Great Taste" and brand name "Jamii Honey", loosely translated into English as "Community Honey", Mponela is optimistic that the seventh CIIE will open and expand the market for his company's beekeeping products.

"Our company was established about a year ago, but production went up this February after we acquired a honey sachet processing machine from China, which has enabled us to produce honey sachets for use in homes and hotels," he said.