The Western Cape Bee Industry Association (WCBA) has a new international honey champion.
Dawid Rooifontein, of St Helena Bay on the West Coast, secured the top spot in the International Honey category in one of the world’s largest honey shows – the UK National Honey Show.
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The show, celebrating its centenary this year, saw all South African participants hailing exclusively from the Western Cape. Submissions were received from various regions in the British Isles and other global locations.
Dawid impressed the judges with his winning light, perfumed orange honey, produced by his bees located in orchards in the Citrusdal area.
Growing up in Upington, with a background in farming, Dawid became a beekeeper at the young age of 20, under the mentorship of well-known West Coast commercial beekeeper, Pieter Loubser.
Dawid’s beekeeping talent was first recognised by judges at the honey exhibition hosted by the Western Cape Beekeeping Industry Association within the NAMPO agricultural expo in Bredsadorp where he was honoured with the top development beekeeper award.
Audrey De Jongh of Cape Town bagged third place in the UK competition’s international category. De Jongh’s entry was a complex natural blend of eucalyptus and fynbos honey.
Another beekeeper from Cape Town, Roxanne Norris received a commendation for her citrus honey and Achmat Kazie of Somerset West was commended for his display of honey and beeswax products.
Chris Nicklin, chairman of the WCBA, says ‘We are actively encouraging our member beekeepers to show off the dazzling array of honey we produce here in the Western Cape.
‘The results from the UK national honey show demonstrate the exceptional quality of our honey – and it’s hoped we’ll soon be able to share it with honey-lovers all over the world.’
Current regulations prohibit the legal export of South African honey, but efforts are being made to seek a change in this policy.
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