Bee Keeping: Emerging as a Viable Enterprise in India

by Abhijit Banerjee on February 14, 2010

in comeback Trade & Services, economy in transition, Future Growth & Global Transitions

Bee keeping is emerging as a viable enterprise with the growing demands for honey all over the world. Bee products not only constitute important ingredients of folk and traditional medicine but are also a resource of sustainable income generation to the rural and tribal farmers. In India, bee keeping is mostly forest based and, therefore, doesn’t require additional land space. They also do not compete with agriculture or animal husbandry.

Important role in ecological development

Beekeeping also plays an important role in ecological development. Bees play an important role in the pollination of many flowering plants, thus increasing the yield of certain crops such as sunflower and various fruits.

Bee keeping has seen a revival in the recent past, specially in the forest-rich areas along the sub-Himalayan mountain ranges, the Western Ghats and the tropical forest and cultivated vegetation in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Eastern Ghats in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

Revitalizing bee keeping

The industry received a further boost with the establishment of Khadi and Village Industries Commission which is endeavouring to revitalize traditional village industries in India, including beekeeping.

People belonging to all age groups use honey as home remedies for numerous ailments. For over 3000 years honey is used by the Ayurvedic physicians for different types of medicines.

‘Colony Collapse Disorder’

However, in India too, like in the rest of the world, the bee population is decreasing, though there is no proper assessment done. Called ‘Colony Collapse Disorder’, the number of bees are dramatically declining reportedly because of extensive use of insecticides and the practice of monoculture. Increased use of genetically engineered material in agriculture is also believed to be responsible. However, the exact reasons are still not known.

Watch video Bees and Honey