Along with traditional farming, farmers are now looking for new and modern ways to increase income. The Central Government’s ‘National Beekeeping and Honey Mission’ (NBHM) is a revolutionary step in this direction, which is creating new employment opportunities in rural areas. This initiative has been named “Sweet Revolution”, the main objective of which is to strengthen the economic condition of farmers through honey production.
The biggest advantage of beekeeping is that it does not require fertile land or a lot of space. You can easily start this work by placing bee hives on the ridges of your fruit orchards, gardens or fields. Not only does it provide honey, but the pollination done by bees significantly improves both the quality and yield of nearby crops.
how to start beekeeping
Under the ‘National Beekeeping and Honey Mission’, the government is providing considerable financial assistance to those farmers who want to start this work. Through this initiative, farmers are provided all kinds of support, from professional training to providing bee colonies.
There is a provision of subsidy ranging from 40% to 80% on the total cost of setting up a beekeeping unit; Small farmers and women can avail this benefit.
To provide farmers with complete knowledge of the required technologies, professional training sessions of usually 5 to 7 days are organized through ‘Agricultural Science Centres’.
The government is not only providing financial assistance, but is also providing funds worth crores of rupees for setting up honey processing and packaging units.
initial cost
If you want to start on a smaller scale, you can start with just 10 hives. The cost of one hive—which includes the colony of bees and its stand—comes to around ₹3,500 to ₹4,000.
The total initial investment for 10 hives is around ₹40,000; However, after receiving government subsidy, the actual financial burden on the farmer’s pocket comes down to just ₹15,000 to ₹20,000.
This initial investment also includes necessary tools and equipment, such as a honey extractor and safety kit. Once the initial investment is made, these boxes remain safe for many years and continue to be a source of income for you.
potential earnings
In terms of profits, beekeeping is no less than a jackpot as it provides many valuable things other than honey. On an average, one box can easily yield 30 to 40 kg of honey throughout the year.
If a farmer operates with 50 boxes, after deducting all expenses, he can earn a net income of ₹4 to ₹6 lakh every year.
Apart from honey, additional profits can also be earned by selling precious commodities like beeswax and royal jelly.
This work, requiring very little space and physical effort, is the sweetest and easiest way for farmers today to improve their financial condition.
