Pangkalpinang, Bangka Belitung, Oct 24 (ANTARA Babel) - Rare wilderness honey from the Pelawan forests of Central Bangka will be sold in Harrods, an upscale store located on Brompton Road, Knightsbridge in London, according to the Director of Sulima Energy Ltd., Joanna Malinowska.
"Bangka wilderness honey is very interesting and rare because it is not available anyplace else. It is unique and that's the USP we are targeting at Harrods," said Malinowska.
However, Sulima Energy Ltd. will perform laboratory tests on the contents of the honey before marketing it to Harrods.
"We will first evaluate the honey samples to understand the nutritional content and benefits of the honey. We want to ensure that the honey is safe to be consumed," she informed.
Wilderness honey or "Madu Pelawan", as the local people call it, is produced by bees that make their hives in the Pelawan trees.
It tastes bitter but local people believe it has nutrition value and can be used to treat various diseases. It can also be used as a natural antibiotic.
Suhada, a honey farmer, said that Madu Pelawan can only be harvested once in four to six years.
This characteristic has raised Sulima Energy¿s interest in Madu Pelawan.
The privately owned trading company is servicing private food factories and mining assets belonging to its partner in North Sudan.
Malinowska said that they are not only interested in Madu Pelawan, but are also interested in trading in other commodities from Bangka Belitung, such as rubber, tin and pepper.
Sulima Energy has recently started to trade with Indonesia after attending the Indonesian Trade Expo 2011. Following that visit the company is now successfully trading in palm oil with the Wilmar Group-a major oil palm plantation owner with plantations in Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia.
Earlier this year, Sulima Energy attended an investment conference organised by the Indonesian Embassy in London, where Dr Zakaria Umarhadi, chairman of the Bangka Belitung investment coordinating board, presented business opportunities in the region.
Sulima Energy representatives are on a six-day visit to Bangka Belitung that started on Monday (22/10) and will end on Saturday (27/10). During the visit, they are supposed to visit various commodity production sites such as the Pelawan honey farming site in Central Bangka, the rubber factory in Air Anyir, the tin smelter in Muntok and the white pepper plantation in Namang.
"After our visit, we will return to Europe for product analysis and evaluation. If these tests are positive, we will contact the producers to place some initial orders. We are hopeful of building a mutually beneficial business partnership with the producers in Bangka Belitung," Malinowska said.
