Work on ensuring traceability to retain consumer confidence in honey : Prabhat Kumar

Experts have emphasized the importance of ensuring traceability of honey to maintain its credibility and consumer trust. Speaking at the two-day State-Level Seminar on Beekeeping, funded by the National Bee Board (NBB), Dr. Prabhat Kumar, Horticulture Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and Mission Director, National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM), Government of India, highlighted the government’s initiatives for promoting scientific beekeeping and quality assurance.

The seminar was organized by the Department of Entomology, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni, and witnessed participation of around 250 farmers and beekeepers representing all districts of Himachal Pradesh.

Dr. Kumar informed that the number of bee colonies is rising globally with the growing recognition of honey’s health benefits. In India, honey production has increased significantly—from 76 metric tonnes in 2013 to 1.52 lakh metric tonnes at present. He added that under the Bee Development Committee, seven Honey Testing Laboratories have been established across the country to ensure quality standards.

Urging farmers to register themselves and their colonies on the Madhu Kranti Portal, Dr. Kumar elaborated on the government’s institutional mechanisms in beekeeping, where Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) collectively market honey. So far, 59 such institutions have been established nationwide. Addressing challenges in honey marketing, he encouraged beekeepers to focus on developing value-added products and by-products of honey. He also called for greater awareness of colony collapse disorder and the harmful impact of excessive chemical use on bee foraging, navigation, and reproduction.

Dr. Kumar underlined the potential of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Machine Learning (ML) technologies in beekeeping for improved productivity and traceability. He also pointed out the immense opportunities for queen breeding in the country. Commending the university’s efforts in horticultural and forestry education, he urged scientists and universities to educate school children about the ecological services provided by bees and to motivate youth to become part of the knowledge-driven economy.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, Vice-Chancellor, UHF Nauni, said, “We have all realized the importance of beekeeping and the invaluable service bees provide in maintaining ecological balance.” He expressed concern over the use of syrup-based honey and stressed the need for well-equipped laboratories to test honey quality.

Prof. Chandel called for research to protect beekeepers from post-production market fluctuations and emphasized collective marketing and branding of honey using the university’s facilities. He encouraged farmers to work closely with the university’s research stations and Krishi Vigyan Kendras for regular interaction and feedback. He also advised beekeepers to rear local species like Apis cerana, which are well adapted to regional conditions and important for conservation.

Dr. Manish Sharma, Dean, College of Horticulture, highlighted that honeybees provide crucial pollination services that help maintain ecological balance. He also mentioned the Experiential Learning Programme (ELP) on honeybees being conducted for B.Sc. (Horticulture) students at the university.

Earlier, Dr. Subhash Verma, Professor and Head, Department of Entomology, welcomed the participants and informed that capacity building of beekeepers is a major objective under the NBB project. He said that training programmes have been organized by the university’s colleges, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and research stations, also involving Self Help Groups (SHGs) in beekeeping.

During the seminar, lectures were delivered on topics including beekeeping for honey production and pollination, quality honey production and export, honey quality parameters, government initiatives, and modern equipment in beekeeping. Participants also undertook exposure visits to the university’s Apis mellifera and Apis cerana apiaries, honey processing unit, honey quality testing laboratory, and model natural farms.

The university is currently implementing a project titled “Honey and Other Hive Products Production Model for Sustainable High-Hill Beekeeping in Himachal Pradesh, funded by the National Bee Board. Under this project, mud hives for conserving Apis cerana have been constructed at five research centres of the university, with demonstrations and hands-on training provided to farmers, orchardists, and trainees across various locations.