Mahendra Thapa

Rupandehi, February 27:

Bee farmers in Rupandehi district are delighted after the honey market, both within and outside the country, has boomed.

According to crop conservation officer of the district agriculture development office, Bishnu Prasad Kafle, farmers are increasingly attracted to bee keeping after they have understood its importance. One can expect high income from the profession, in spite of low investment and little labour. Around 300 farmers in the district have adopted the profession, which till 1998, was negligent. A model bee keeper, farmer Gyanu Pandey of the Anandaban VDC-6, said he started the profession in 1998 and since then he has never incurred loss. He is making a profit of Rs 800,000 yearly from the profession, in which he is assisted by 12 employees, he added.

Another bee keeper, farmer Bal Bahadur Gurung, said his produce is well liked in the market. According to officer Kafle, the honey and hive produced here has a market in Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Dang, Gulmi, Kapilvastu, Kailali, Pokhara, Kathmandu and Saudi Arabia.

Shanker nagar, Anandaban, Padsari, Karhiya, Makrahar, Tikuligadh, Mainhiya, Dudhrakshya, Madhauliya, Parroha, Mainhiya VDCs are planned to develop as model pocket areas for promoting bee keeping, said the district agriculture development office.

Farmers throughout the district are able to sell over 150 quintals of honey and above 2,000 bee hives in a year. “There is no market problem at all for the honey being produced here,” Kafle said.

Farmers say, a total of 80 kg honey can be harvested, from three collections, from a single hive in a year. As one kg of honey costs Rs 250, a bee hive can fetch as high as Rs 4,000, they informed. Although there is no market problem at present, farmers complain that bees have no space for pasture and medical treatment during sickness to bees is not available. Chitwan and Dhading are leading districts in bee keeping.