Taking steps to promote beekeeping: Rana

Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana today said that the state was taking steps towards crop diversification and promoting beekeeping. For this, a beekeeping policy had also been made, and the state was the first to have such a policy. The government had set a target of producing 15,500 metric tonnes of honey by 2030.

Rana said a new programme had been started to promote honey production, pollen extraction and quality assessment. Special facilities were being given to beekeepers.

He said under the policy, a 10-year action plan had been prepared with the aim of focusing on quality honey production through quality interventions.

The minister said the Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre, Ramnagar, had been established in Kurukshetra district. Beekeepers were trained at the centre so that they could start their own business. He also said that special concessions were being given to beekeepers on purchasing goods from the centre. A provision had been made to give an 85 per cent subsidy on purchasing boxes for beekeeping and a 75 per cent subsidy on purchasing equipment.