Beekeepers encouraged to start enterprise on Honey based and hive products

Twenty-five experienced beekeepers from Chamba, Solan, Sirmaur, Una and Bilaspur districts of Himachal were part of the exposure visit. The exposure began with a visit to Sunlite India Agro Producer Company, Roorkee where participants got a chance to see the industrial honey processing and packaging plant. They were accompanied by Principal Investigator of the project Dr. Meena Thakur and Dr. Priyanka Thakur and Dr. Rohit Nayak. Yogendra Punia, Director of Sunlite India, showed the honey processing unit set up under the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission. The beekeepers were provided training on organic beekeeping and given knowledge on honey processing and packaging for export, along with the essential traits required for exporting honey. Participants also got the opportunity to explore IIT- Roorkee where Dr. Partha Roy informed about the R&D on honey. He also explained the benefits of consuming Indian honey which aids in curing many human diseases. 

The participants also visited the Superbee honey factory, Saharanpur where Devvrat Sharma informed about the value-added products that can enhance the incomes of the beekeepers. The exposure visit culminated at the Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre, Ramnagar (Haryana), where participants were informed about the facilities for honey processing, packaging and other hive products.

The beekeepers applauded the initiative of the National Bee Board and the university to provide a platform to the progressive beekeepers and enrich their knowledge for export, marketing and also encourage them to start their enterprise of hive products such as royal jelly, wax, propolis, bee venom and bee colony sale in addition to honey production.