(GIST OF KURUKSHETRA) Beekeeping: Generating Employment Opportunities

(FEBRUARY-2025)

Beekeeping: Generating Employment Opportunities

Context

Beekeeping boasts a rich history, with the use of honey spanning over 5,000 years. India stands as a significant contributor in the worldwide honey arena, supported by a variety of flora that yields distinct honey varieties.

Migratory Beekeeping in India

Beekeepers shift their colonies in accordance with available floral resources, traversing between flatlands and mountainous regions.
Prominent areas include Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan.

National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)

Initiated in 2020 as part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat program.
Seeks to foster scientific beekeeping practices, enhance honey quality, and bolster infrastructure.
Originally budgeted at Rs. 500 crores, now extended to Rs. 370 crores for 2023-24 through 2025-26.

Honey Market in India

The valuation of the Indian honey market reached INR 25.2 billion in 2023, projected to escalate to INR 48.6 billion by 2032.
Key export markets comprise the USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

Key Achievements

Production surged from 80,530 MT in 2014-15 to 142,000 MT in 2022-23.
Exports amplified from 29,578.56 MT in 2014-15 to 79,929 MT in 2022-23.

Digital Initiatives

Madhukranti Portal: Established in 2021 for product traceability and beehive registration.
Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC): Supports e-commerce for honey-centric FPOs.

Policy Initiatives

Minimum Export Price (MEP): Fixed at US$ 2,000 per metric tonne to protect the domestic honey sector.
Quality Standards: The FSSAI has set quality benchmarks for honey, beeswax, and royal jelly.

Future Roadmap

Emphasis on value-added items like beeswax, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly.
Geographic indication (GI) tagging and chemical profiling to boost honey quality and market appeal.

Conclusion

The beekeeping industry in India is on an upward trajectory, propelled by scientific innovations, digital initiatives, and robust policy backing.
Future prospects will concentrate on value enhancement, quality improvement, and competitiveness in the global market.