São Paulo – The state of Minas Gerais is strengthening its production of green propolis for export. From January to May this year, a total of US$ 1.5 million in propolis from Minas Gerais was sold abroad, according to figures disclosed by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. Propolis is a substance produced by bees from the resin found in some plants, mainly in wild rosemary.
The state of Minas Gerais produces around 29 tonnes of propolis a year. Of this total, 13 tonnes were exported to the Asian countries in 2011. The main destination was Japan, but the buyers included Malaysia, Hong Kong and China. "International demand is a natural consequence of the effort of producers from Minas to offer a quality product," stated the president of the Minas Gerais Apiculture Federation (Femap), Irone Martins Sampaio.
The Minas Gerais Agriculture Institute (IMA) mapped the presence of wild rosemary in the state, which resulted in the first denomination of the origin of green propolis in Brazil for 102 cities. Certification recognizes products whose qualities or characteristics are due to the geographic means. It is an index of preference in the national and international commercial system.
Beekeepers in the region are adopting good practices in production to supply the needs of international buyers. Femap and the National Beekeeping Cooperative developed actions alongside beekeepers to add value to export-grade propolis. The idea is to trade not just the extract, but also the product in spray and capsules.
*With information by Agência Minas. Translated by Mark Ament
