HMNEH

One Day National Seminar on Beekeeping,

Anand, Gujarat

Dr. B.L. Sarswat

Executive Director ,
National Bee Board
 Main challenges for Indian Agriculture & Role of National Bee
Board(NBB)/Beekeeping in Overall sustainable development of Agri./Horti.

A. Main challenges in Agriculture:

 Population growth- Demand for food (Food Security)- Malnutrition
 Stagnant Resource base
 Stagnation in yield of various crops.
 Globalization and competition
 Technology upgradation
 Employment
 Sustainability issues
 Environmental issues including water, deforestation, etc.
 Natural Calamities
 Bio-diversity
 High cost of inputs
 Low farm incomes
 Small & fragmented land holdings-small & marginal farmers: 85%
 Lack of logistics and infrastructural facilities.
 Blue Bulls/ Elephants & other wild Animals- Human- Animal Conflicts.
B. Why Beekeeping:
1. Pollination- Yield enhancement- Ensures food and nutritional
security.
2. Honey and other beehive products - Nutritional Security.
3. Few resources are needed
5. Land ownership not essential
6. Nectar and pollen are otherwise not harvested
7. Different sectors and trades benefit from a strong beekeeping
industry
8. Beekeeping encourages ecological awareness & maintain
Biodiversity
9. Anybody can be a beekeeper
10. Generates employment- 3.75 lakhs man-days/ 10,000 BC in hives.
11. Beekeeping is benign/gold mine
Beekeeping generates income without destroying habitat.
Encouraging beekeeping encourages the maintenance of biodiversity.
 “If the bee disappeared from the
surface of the globe the man would only
have four years of life left. No more
bees, no more pollination, no more
plants, no more animals, no more man.”

Albert Einstein
 HONEY BEE SPECIES
Species Nature Foraging Avg. Honey
range (km) yield (kg/yr)
Indian bee, Domesticated 0.8-1.0 10-12 /hive
Apis cerana
(cerana,himalaya,indica)

Western bee, Domesticated 1.0-2.0 50-60 /hive

Apis mellifera
(ligustica, carnica)
Rock bee, Wild - 50 /hive
Apis dorsata
Little bee, Wild - 0.25 /hive
Apis florea
Trigona (can survive in Stingless Few grams/
high temperature) Colony
 Potential of benefits due to bee pollination, in the form of increase in
yield, in various Orchard crops, Misc. crops and Vegetables.
Orchard crops % incr. in yields Vegetables for seed/ fruits % incr. in yields
Apple varieties 180 to 6,950 Radish 22 to 100
Pears 240 to 6,014 Cabbage 100 to 300
Plums 6.7 to 2,739 Turnip 100 to 125
Cherry 56.1 to 1,000 Carrot 9.1 to 135.4
Straw-berry 17.4 to 91.9 Onion 353.5 to 9,878
Raspberry 291.3 to 462.5 Brinjal 35-67
Persimmon 20.8 Cucumbers 21.1 to 411
Litchi 4,538 to 10,246 Miscellaneous crops
Citrus varieties 7 to 233.3 American cotton 5 to 20
Grapes 756.4 to 6,700 Egyptian cotton 16 to 24
Squashes 771.4 to 800 Buckwheat 62.5
Guava 70-140 Coffee 16.7 to 39. 8
Papaya 22.4-88.9 This increase in yield is in addition to value of
Mosambi 36-750 honey and other hive products.
Bee pollination results not only in yield increase but also
Orange 471-900 improvement in quality of produce.
 Potential of Yield increase in various oilseeds and
legume crops due to bee pollination
Oilseeds %increase in yields Legume seeds % increase in yields

Mustard 128.1 to 159.8 Alfalfa 23.4 to 19,733.3

Rai 18.4 Vetches 39 to 20,000
Rape 12.8 to 139.3 Broad Beans 6.8 to 90.1
Toria 66 to 220 Dwarf beans 2.8 to 20.7
Sarson 222 Kidney beans 500 to 600
Safflower 4.2 to 114.3 Runner beans 20.6 to 1,100.l
Linseed 1.7 to 40 Other pulses (Pigeon pea- 28.7-73.8
21to30%,etc.)
Niger 260.7 Berseem and other Clovers 23.4 to 33,150
Sunflower 20 to 3,400
• Bee pollination results not only in yield increase but also improvement in
quality of produce.
• Hence beekeeping should be treated as 5th input which regulates efficacy of
other four inputs.
• 10-15 Kg Honey / colony is produced per crop season.
Shri Narender Modi, Hon’ble PM (then CM, Gujarat)
viewing process of honey extraction
 BENIFITS OF BEEKEEPING
 Beehive products-honey, pollen, propolis, bee venom, royal
jelly, bees wax;
 Unemployed youth can start this business with minimal funds;
 Proper utilization of natural resources;
 Converts Pollen & Nectar into food (honey, pollen, royal jelly,
wax etc.), otherwise going waste;
 Beekeeping helps in increasing the national income;
 Income from 100 Bee colonies is around Rs. 3.00 lakhs/annum;
 It helps in rural development and promotes small village
industry;
 Beekeeping is one of the technologies that generate income
from multiple channels.
Shri Radha Mohan Singh Ji, Hon’ble Minister of Agri. &
FW releasing souvenir on Beekeeping in a seminar held
at Motihari, Bihar on 12th April, 2015.
 Honey & other Beehive Products and their Uses:
• Honeybee produces
1. Honey: Nutritious whole food with medicinal
property.
2. Bees wax: More valuable, used in candle,
pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry.
Bee’s Wax
3. Bee venom: Used for treatment of arthritis,
rheumatic and pains (treatment known as
Apitherapy).
4. Royal jelly: Nutritious, increase vigour and
vitality/fertility. Pollen
5. Bee Pollen: Nutritious Food.
6. Propolis: Resinous substance uses as gum & in
Pharmaceutical Industry.
7. Honey and hive products: source of income to the
farm family, helps employment generation. Royal Jelly
 Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 1,272 kJ (304 kcal)
Carbohydrates 82.4 g
Sugars 82.12 g
Dietary fiber 0.2 g
Fat 0g
Protein 0.3 g 1. Prevent cancer and heart disease.
Vitamins 2. Reduce ulcers , gastrointestinal
Riboflavin (B2) (3%) 0.038 mg
disorders.
Niacin (B3) (1%) 0.121 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5) (1%) 0.068 mg
3. Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal.
Vitamin B6 (2%) 0.024 mg 4. Increase athletic performance.
Folate (B9) (1%) 2 μg 5. Reduce cough and throat irritation.
Vitamin C (1%) 0.5 mg 6. Balance the 5 elements: improving
Minerals
Calcium (1%) 6 mg
eyesight, weight loss, curing impotence
Iron (3%) 0.42 mg and urinary tract disorders, bronchial
Magnesium (1%) 2 mg asthma, diarrhoea and nausea.
Phosphorus (1%) 4 mg 7. Blood sugar regulation.
Potassium (1%) 52 mg
Sodium
8. Heal wounds and burns.
(0%) 4 mg
Zinc (2%) 0.22 mg 9. Probiotic.
Other constituents 10. Beautiful skin.
Water 17.10 g
 DAC&FW initiatives to promote
Beekeeping
• Pollination Support through Beekeeping a component
under National Horticulture Mission /MIDH
• National Bee Board (2006/2008) reconstituted under
DAC&FW
• Promote scientific beekeeping through bee pollination in
crops.
• Enhancing the income of farmers and beekeepers from
yield improvement & honey production .
• Integration of schemes of beekeeping & crop production
(NHM, HMNEH, NFSM, NMOOP, PKVY, RKVY)
 New Initiatives by DAC & FW
implemented through NBB in states
• Integrated Bee Development Centers (IBDC) –
– 10 IBDC 3 commissioned -Bihar, Haryana, Delhi
– 7 MP, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Punjab, UP, TN and J&K in process
• Integrated Development of Scientific Bee Keeping (IDSB)-
RKVY, MIDH and other schemes
• Skill Council of India course on Bee Keeping qualification pack
finalized
• Safal brand of honey launched through Mother Diary on Pilot
scale using milk route
– 40 ton honey as first lot is being sold from Safal outlets
• Honey brands (Mustard, Eucalyptus, Litchi, Multiflora)
• Development of data base – Mobile App / Bee Portal
• Task force constituted for Master Plan on beekeeping & report
approved with Master Plan on NBHM.
 NATIONAL BEE BOARD
 Restructured in June 2006 under Chairmanship of Secretary
(A&C) on PPP Mode;
 18 Members MC including 08 elected members from beekeeping
community & ED as Ex-Officio member;
Main objectives :
 Promoting scientific beekeeping for enhancing income of farmers and
beekeepers by providing ensured pollination support to increase
production of crops & beehive products;
 Popularising State of Art Technologies for Scientific Beekeeping
including production of quality bee stock, capacity building
programmes for bee breeders, beekeepers/ farmers, quality production
of beehive products, etc.;
 Formulation, execution, implementation, supervision/ guidance and
monitoring of programmes/policies for promoting scientific beekeeping
in the country;
 To liaison with all concerned organisations of Govt. of India and State
Govts. , time to time, advice them in all related issues/ matters, etc.
 Status of beekeeping in India – World
INDIA:
• Number of bee colonies – About 30 lakhs
• Honey Production – 94500 Metric
• Number of Beekeepers / employment to >2 lakhs
• Apis cerana & Apis mellifera both are in practice;
• About 50% of honey produced is exported to various countries viz; Germany,
USA, UK, Japan, France, Italy, Canada, Spain etc.;
• Value of honey export is about Rs. 1100 to 1200 crores

World:
 Mostly, Apis mellifera is in practice all over the world.
 Honey production per annum varies 13.50 to 15.00 lakh ton
 15 countries in world account for 90% of world honey production.
 Major honey producing countries are China, USA, Mexico, Argentina, Ukraine,
Turkey, Russia & India.
 Constraints
• Nucleus stock production technology for bees
• Evolve scientific beekeeping practices based on good agriculture
and management practices following both crop and insect (bee)
centered approach.
• Ecofriendly control measures for serious problems- Parasitic mites
(Varroa, Acarapis etc.), fungi (Nosema, Acosphaera), bacteria
(Paenibacillus, Melissococcus). Viruses (Sacbrood virus).
• Disease diagnostics /prevention system.
• Technology for high value products: Honey, Bee pollen , Royal jelly,
Propolis, Bees wax, Bee venom
• Database on honey production
• Consumer awareness of honey and its products
• Poor quality control for production of honey (Quality lab)
• De-forestation; Wild fires; water and air Pollution ; Mono-Cropping
culture; Indiscriminate use of agrochemicals etc.
 Opportunities & Potential in Beekeeping (BK) :
 Needs small technologies & low capital investment or infrastructure.
 Diversified Agro- Climatic conditions provide great potential and
opportunities;
 Potential & requirement for 200 million Bee colonies
 Employment to 215 lakh persons
 10 million tonnes of honey, valued Rs. 3,00,00,000/- Lakhs
 Value of enhanced crop production Rs. 60,00,00,000/- Lakhs
 Great self-help potential for rural people/tribals/hilly/MF & SF/LL
labour, etc. and great opportunities as under:
Honey - provides cash income;
Beeswax – twice costly to honey and great demand;
High value products: pollen, propolis, bee-venom & royal jelly;
Part & full time employment without sacrificing main occupation;
 Bee pollination & prodn. of beehive products – A double benefit;
and
Processing and value added products of Bee- products.
 Financial Assistance under MIDH for promotion of beekeeping
activities by NBB/ States
S.N Components Rates of assistance approved
1 Promotion of Research & Development by ICAR under MIDH (NHM/ HMNEH)
2 Development and Multiplication of Bee Stock
I. Production of nucleus (Pedigree) stock. Rs.20.00 lakhs/ project
II. Production of Bee colonies by Bee Breeders. 40% of cost or Rs.4.00 lakhs/
Project (whichever is less)
3 Distribution of 8 frame bee colonies & beehives 40% of cost or Rs.1600/ per set of bee
( 50 bee colonies in beehives, supers etc. / beneficiary) colony & beehive (whichever is less)
4 Distribution of bee equipments [ a set of one honey
extractor of SS (4 frames) & 10 containers (30 kg each) 40% of cost or Rs. 8000 per set / per
of FGP /SS, 1 net & a set of other tools] / unit of 50 bee beneficiary (whichever is less)
colonies / beneficiary.
5 Human Resource Dev.(HRD) activities.
A. Conference/Seminar /Workshop
a. National level Rs. 5.00 lakh /event
b. State level Rs. 3.00 lakh/ event
c. Distt. level Rs. 2.00 lakh/ event
B. Trainings – within State & out of State @ Rs. 1000/- participant/day &
project based
C. Exposure Visits Project based
Regional Seminar on Beekeeping at
Barabanki (U.P.) on 8-9/06/07
 Economics of Beekeeping
Honey Bees: Apis mellifera- Man power required: At least one regular basis –plus two casual labour.
(As per the present prevailing market prices of honey & other beehive products & price of bee colonies
during 2016-17).
S. Items Rate/per Unit cost Total cost(Amt.
N (Amt. in Rs.) in Rs.)
A. One time cost for establishment/ Fixed cost
1. 50 Beehives with supers & tools, etc. 2000/-per set 1,00,000/-
2. 50 bee colonies each of 8 frames @ Rs. 250/- per frame 2000/- colony 1,00,000/-
3. 50 iron stands 100/-each 5000/-
4. Honey extractor (SS) and other equipments, FGP containers, honey extr. net, etc. - 20000/-
Sub total of A. 2,25,000/-
B. Recurring cost/working capital per year
1. Comb foundation sheets (Wax Sheets) 100kg for one unit 250 per kg 25,000/-
2. 250 kg sugar for feeding in dearth period 40 per kg 10,000/-
3. Interest on fixed capital 12% per annum 27,000/-
4. Depreciation on fixed capital 20% per annum 45,000/-
5. Miscellaneous expenses including labour charge, migration cost,etc./annum - 1,50,000/
Sub total of B. 2,57,000/
C. Per year income from 50 colonies in beehives
1. Honey production @ 40 kg per colony Total production 2000kg. 80 per kg 1,60,000/-
2. Sale price of BCs of 8 frames each multiplied during the year i.e. 50 colonies 2000/- per colony 1,00,000/-
(50x250x8) of 8 frames.
3. Production of Bee pollen (250 kg) @5 kg/colony 400 per kg 1,00,000/-
Total Income(C) 3,80,000/-
D. Net income per year (C-B) 1,23,000/-
Note: Economics of beekeeping is directly linked with the market prices of honey & other beehive products and
price of bee colonies, which fluctuate time to time.
Dr. Michael Guido Eich, Expert, Beekeeping, QSI, Bremen, Germany
addressing participants of 7 days training on scientific beekeeping by
NBB under PPP Project for Quality Improvement and Increase of
Productivity of Indian Honey in collaboration with QSI, Bremen, Germany
at New Delhi from 28th Nov. to 4th Dec., 2011.
 “PROTECT YOURSELF AND CROPS FROM MENACE OF ELEPHANTS
AND MONKEYS BY ADOPTING SCIENTIFIC BEEKEEPING”
By adopting Scientific Beekeeping, in addition to income by enhancing crops’ productivity and
production of honey and other beehive products, we may protect ourselves and crops from the
menace of elephants and monkeys.
Areas where apiaries/ bee colonies are kept and scientific beekeeping is adopted, elephants
and monkeys avoid to enter.
It minimizes human-elephant conflicts.
This way we can contribute in the progress/ development of our Area/ State/ Nation.
For details and training, Executive Director, NBB may be contacted.
Sh. Radha Mohan Singh, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare, Govt. of India & other officials are inaugurating Trainees
Guide and Qtrly Magazine ‘Bee World’ on Scientific Beekeeping.
 Promotion of Beekeeping through NDDB/ GCMMF/ Cooperative
Net Work
Beekeeping is mainly the activity of poor/small & marginal farmers/landless
labourers which could easily adopted by Dairy farmers after training;
It does not need land ownership;
It is a good source of income for the poor;
It is one of the best fittest rural-agro-based activities;
It does not have competition with any other activities;
It works as supplementary/ complementary to other activities;
The activity is remunerative/ attractive for poor/deprived category of the society
For poor, it’s a major source of their livelihood;
Beekeeping/Honeybee plays vital role in sustaining plants bio-diversity resulting
in environmental stability;
NDDB/ Cooperative infrastructure could be more effective in this field;
Honey is not so a perishable product & does not need every day handling;
Daily transportation of honey is not required;
It could be stored at one nodal point and time to time the volume could be
transported to the processing plant/unit for processing/ storage/ packing/
marketing; (continue……)
This way the lean period of the day/system/logistic system of cooperatives
could be utilized for doing business of honey/beekeeping;
It could be collected/ handled in lean period of the day/ system / logistics
systems of dairy cooperatives / federations;
Establishing prevailing market prices of honey & other beehive products in
domestic market and the beekeepers/members of cooperative will also get
remunerative prices;
A win-win situation, as the beekeepers/members of cooperative network will
get additional income and domestic consumer will get quality honey and other
beehive products- as is being happened in case of Safal brand of honey by
Mother Dairy;
Reduce the dependency of beekeeping industry on volume of export of honey;
Once intervention of cooperative network takes place in domestic market,
beekeepers will get remunerative prices and customer will also get quality
product at reasonable rates;
Honey can be used for developing various products from milk & milk products,
particularly in the form of sweetener, viz.; ice cream, diary milk chocolate,
sweets, etc., which will improve the quality of these products; and
The activity could be attractive for the member of dairy cooperatives because it
has no competition with their primary business.
Practical training in beekeeping for officers of NE
States conducted by NBB.
 Way forward
 Strengthening of National Bee Board and State Boards/ Missions
 Setting up of National Beekeeping & Honey Mission. State Bee Boards /
Missions/ IBDCs/ Technical Centres;
 Strengthening & involving supplementary Institutional frame work to
promote scientific beekeeping for pollination support to the crops – SHGs
/FIGs / FPCs /Cooperatives/ NDDB/ GCMMF, etc.;
 Developing quality germplasm & nucleus stock of honey bees;
 Policy on migration / transportation of bee colonies etc.;
 Convergence of various schemes of various departments;
 Making Forest Laws/ Acts, suitable for beekeeping etc.;
 Domestic strds. for honey & other beehive products by BIS/ FSSAI, etc.;
 Disease diagnostic labs & bee products quality analysis labs ;
 Insurance of bee colonies;
 Efforts for conserving wild bees in sustainable manner;
 Capacity building/skill development of all stakeholders;
 Promoting Scientific Beekeeping etc.;
 Treating beekeepers at par with farmers in all respect to compensation
due to damage – natural calamities;
 Availability of credit/ loan through banks; and
 Taking Beekeeping on Mission Mode .