The first shipment of Jamaican honey produced under a joint venture between the government, the All-Island Bee Farmers’ Association and the Boston Diaspora Ventures LLC could hit overseas markets in six months, according to Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Robert Montague.

The partners signed their agreement on Thursday at the Ministry in Hope Gardens, Kingston, after negotiating for some time on a plan to assist Jamaica’s bee farmers.

The deal will mean Jamaican honey will be processed, bottled, and marketed at a bottling plant owned by the AIBFA.

Montague praised the efforts of Jamaicans living in Boston, who decided to form a commercial entity and help Jamaican farmers.

“We will be exporting a product not only to the Jamaican community in Boston, but to the wider United States and, as we develop that network and that chain, we can then open the gates to other products and especially to value-added products,” he said.

Those goods included soap, hair oil, and body lotion, among others, he said.

The ministry is also looking to contribute to copyrighting, patenting and registering Jamaican honey.

“We plan to do it on behalf of the farmers and the beekeepers in Jamaica,” said Leo Williams, director of Boston Diaspora Ventures. “So we want to make sure that just as people recognise Blue Mountain coffee, in the honey business there should be a brand as strong and as vibrant and as sought after for honey as well, globally.”

The Jamaican government will be a part-owner of the company for two years, while the AIBFA and BDV will own 40 percent each.

“The government will have a 20 percent stake, which will transition over at the end of two years and will be a full 50/50 joint venture at that point, except what is in the public market,” Williams said.

–Jamaica Information Service