Beekeeping catches Mansa farmers’ fancy

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 17

Beekeeping is getting popular among Mansa farmers as 107 people have adopted it as their chief source of income.

Officials in the Horticulture Department said the number of farmers adopting beekeeping has been rising day by day. The 107 beekeepers (or apiarists) of Mansa are maintaining 5,480 boxes in which man-made hives are kept.

Tejinder Singh Bajwa, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department, said beekeeping (or apiculture) was becoming popular due to the monetary help being provided by the government. He said the production of honey in Mansa was 143.38 metric tonne per season. The honey production had been on the rise for the past two years.

He said every year more farmers got themselves registered to obtain the subsidy and basic training offered by experts of the department.

Farmers were first given basic training by the department after which experts and officials of the Punjab Government helped them in obtaining financial assistance under different schemes, Bajwa said.

Apart from honey, farmers have now started selling beeswax, propolis, royal jelly and pollen as well. Farmers have made separate bee-yards and they also take these wooden boxes to Rajasthan, Haryana, UP, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, as per the seasons of flowers in these states, so that the domesticated bees can collect good quality honey, which is in great demand in India and abroad.

The apiarists are getting subsidy under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) wherein a farmer — starting with 50 boxes — can get a benefit of Rs 80,000. The beneficiary, however, has to obtain a lot number from the Horticulture Department and must prepare the boxes as per the instructions issued by the department before getting subsidy.

Officials of the department said farmers were made aware of the health benefits of honey, which helped them in the marketing and sale of the product. The Food and Drug Administration had declared honey as sodium-free because it had less than 2 per cent of sodium, they added.

Growing interest

• Beekeeping (or apiculture) is becoming popular due to the monetary  help being provided by the government.  The production of honey  in Mansa is 143.38 metric tonne per season 

• Apart from honey, farmers have  now started selling beeswax, propolis, royal jelly and pollen as well

• Farmers have made separate bee-yards and they also take these wooden  boxes to Rajasthan, Haryana, UP, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, as per  the seasons of flowers in these states, so that the domesticated bees  can collect good quality honey, which is in great demand in India and  abroad