Tuesday’s visit of the Chairman of Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) at state capital and his assurance of providing  “any amount of bee boxes and funds required” has raised hopes that at last beekeeping potential of Arunachal Pradesh has been recognised. It’s not without reasons why there are high chances for the state to emerge as a leading producer of honey and all allied by-products, both in quantitative and qualitative terms through beekeeping. The reasons being backed by the science of apiculture which the state’s climate and altitude provides, the requirement now is to give constant institutional tutelage and patronage to the state’s bee keepers, at least initially in the run-up to their attaining commercial self-reliance.
Honey as an item of consumption, both as a part of daily diet as well as medicinal supplement, is always in demand all over India and world cutting across culinary variations. Both the domestic as well as global market is growing and if properly tapped, beekeeping can turn out to be a good choice of entrepreneurship and a money-spinner as well. So far as the global market is concerned, India’s current position is eight and as a part of the aspiration to attain third spot, the current ‘Honey Mission’ pursued by KVIC  has distributed approximately 1.15 lakh bee-boxes among farmers and unemployed youths all across the country. As per estimates, India’s current number of bee colonies stand at around 3.4 million and the potential is to take the figure to about 200 million. Going by this potential, which means that the major part has remain unexplored so far, focus must now fall on Arunachal where the altitudinal advantage and conducive climate promises the beekeeping venture to be ‘sweet’. 1000 honeybee boxes had been distributed to 100 beneficiaries during Tuesday’s programme under KVIC’s Honey Mission and many more activities of this kind should be undertaken in districts having proven or estimated potentials. This is vital in the current context when the state is dreaming high to realise its agri-horticultural capabilities and the upcoming Food Park can also act as a steady absorber of the produce, which will no doubt form an input ingredient of the variety of food products to be manufactured. Regarding commercial prospects, there remains little doubt since along with honey, the immediate by-products are equally financially rewarding such as beeswax, royal jelly, pollen and most importantly bee venom which fetches mind-boggling price due to its high demand in making cancer drugs.
That what the state’s beekeepers need right now is a prolonged technical backup mechanism for which both the concerned departments of central and state government must act in coordination. Honey Mission will remain unfinished or half-attained rather sans Arunachal Pradesh. 

 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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