Farmer-Scientist interface organized at KVK Bathinda by ICAR-CIPHET

Ludhiana, December 23, 2022: A Farmer-scientist interface meeting on “Honey processing and packaging” was conducted at KVK, Bathinda on 22.12.2022 with 34 bee keepers of Bathinda, Punjab under the Farmer FIRST Project, ICAR-CIPHET, Ludhiana. Dr. Sandeep Mann (Pr. Scientist & PI, FFP), Dr. Rahul K. Anurag (Senior Scientist & Co PI, FFP), Dr. Renu Balakrishnan (Scientist & Co PI, FFP) and other project team members discussed with progressive bee keepers on modern honey processing and packaging. The FFP team discussed with farmers about traditional practices used at small scale for honey production and processing. The team guided and motivated the beekeepers for processing of honey with modern honey processing plant, moisture reduction as per FSSAI, AGMARK and BIS standards, packaging, labelling and brand development. The team also elaborated some aspects on honey quality parameters, FSSAI registration process, marketing strategies to enhance the sale of packaged honey at retail level. The team also encouraged the farmers to establish small scale honey processing unit on a custom hiring basis. The farmers were guided to sell honey in retail and direct marketing rather than selling to traders in bulk quantity. The farmers were also provided with the bee keeping kits under the project.