Transforming Lives: Beekeeping Success in Himachal Pradesh

Hamirpur/Una (HP), June 2 (PTI) - Anubhav Sood from Una embarked on his humble beekeeping journey with just Rs 1 lakh and now runs a flourishing business yielding an annual income of Rs 30 lakh. His success story is one among many from Himachal Pradesh, where young unemployed individuals are turning towards beekeeping under the Mukhyamantri Madhu Vikas Yojana, seeing positive outcomes. This scheme not only supports the unemployed but also farmers and fruit growers, enhancing pollination and providing supplementary income.

Anubhav, from Ambota Village, employs 10 people through his enterprise. Guided by his mother Nisha Sood, who works in food processing, Anubhav pursued a month-long training at Nauni University, Solan, and a week-long course at Sher-e-Kashmir Agricultural University, Katra. With 25 bee boxes, he embarked on his beekeeping venture.

To grow his business, he secured a Rs 10 lakh loan from Canara Bank via the Prime Minister Employment Generation Program, introducing his brand "Pahadi Honey" in the market. He offers a variety of honey such as Black Forest, Black Diamond, Multi Flora, Kesar, and Acacia, priced between Rs 500 to Rs 1200 per kilogram based on the variant.

Currently owning 300 bee boxes, Anubhav produces approximately 10,000 kg of honey annually. By strategically migrating bees across Himachal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan seasonally, he enhances the quality and variety of his honey products, all certified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

Deputy Director Horticulture Una, K K Bhardwaj, highlighted that the scheme provides Rs 1.60 lakh for beekeeping, which includes 50 boxes of bee species, in addition to Rs 10,000 for bee transportation. There's also an 80% subsidy, amounting to Rs 16,000, available for purchasing beekeeping equipment.

Dr. Ashok Chaudhary, a specialist from the District Ayurvedic Department, notes the health benefits of honey, citing its anti-bacterial and anti-allergic properties, which bolster immunity and are particularly beneficial for post-Covid recovery.

Davinder Thakur from Neri village in Kullu district shares a parallel experience with Anubhav. Starting beekeeping five years ago, he now earns significantly. "Beekeeping offers dual advantages; it aids in apple orchard pollination, essential for fruit yield," he explains, noting a 30% increase in his apple production. Thakur began with two boxes of hill bees resilient to snowy weather and now owns 60 boxes, producing 200 kgs of honey annually, sold at Rs 2000 per kg. Each box houses 20 to 25,000 bees.

Gopal Kapoor, aged 84, from Gwalpathar village in Hamirpur, is another testament to the success of the scheme. Although not unemployed, financial difficulties led him to beekeeping. Now, he earns Rs 3 to 4 lakh a year with 50 boxes of Italian and Indica bee species, having started with just five boxes.

These individuals are now imparting beekeeping expertise to other farmers. Deputy Commissioner Una Jatin Lal emphasizes that the scheme empowers youth and others toward self-employment, with free training being a notable advantage.

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