Apiculture
Scope and Opportunities
India
is one
of the largest
producers and consumers
of honey in the world, with an
estimated annual production
of 1.2 lakh metric tonnes. The
country has a rich tradition and
culture of beekeeping dating back
to ancient times. Beekeeping has
the potential to generate income
and employment opportunities for
rural households.
* Dr. Dheeraj Kumar Tiwari
** Dr. Shailesh Kumar Mishra
A
piculture is a widespread and global in providing
activity, with millions of beekeepers nutrition,
depending on bees for their economic,
livelihoods and well-being. Together and ecological
with wild pollinators, bees play a security, as bees
major role in maintaining biodiversity, ensuring the are valuable
survival and reproduction of many plants, supporting pollinators of
forest regeneration, promoting sustainability and both agricultural
adaptation to climate change, and improving the crops and natural
quantity and quality of agricultural productions. ecosystems. The
Apiculture is important because it directly business almost
contributes to the outputs produced, such as honey, requires less land and less initial capital, does not take
beeswax, queen, and bee colonies, and other products much of the farmers’ time, is undertaken by the young
such as pollen, royal jelly, bee venom, and propolis and old, men and women, and does not compete with
in cosmetics and medicine. Apiculture plays a role other components of farming systems for resources. It
* The author is Scientist (Agronomy) and In-charge Head, ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Unnao (Uttar Pradesh).
Email: dk9hau@gmail.com
** The author is Director (Extension), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Email: shaileshk.mishra29@gov.in
Kurukshetra March 2024 23
can also be a fascinating hobby, a profitable sideline,
or a full-time occupation.
Apiculture is the science and culture of honeybees
and their management.
Beekeeping is the practice of intentional
maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in
hives, by humans.
A beekeeper may keep bees in order to collect
honey and beeswax, or for the purpose of
pollinating crops, or to produce bees for sale to
other beekeeper. A location where bees are kept is
called an apiary.
Beekeeping (or apiculture, from Latin: Apis ‘bee’) is
the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly
in hives, by humans.
in the 20th century, when the beekeeping industry
In India, beekeeping has been mainly forest-based.
with the native bee, A. cerana, was badly hit because
Several natural plant species provide nectar and
of the outbreak of the tracheal mite, Acarapis woodi,
pollen to honey bees.
and Thai sac brood virus during 1965-1986. Presently
History of Beekeeping beekeeping with A. mellifera is more in North India
Globally, there are more than 20,000 species of because of the rich flora viz., Mustard, Sunflower,
wild bees, many of which are solitary or rear their Eucalyptus, Safflower, etc. They produce 50 to 60 kg
young in burrows and small colonies, like mason of honey per colony per year. About 70-75% of the
bees. honey produced in India is from A. mellifera. Placing
a few hives in the vicinity of the cropped area helps a
Commercially, it is done in Himachal Pradesh,
large number of honey bees working in a society and
where locals collect honey on hills and in forests.
accomplishing crop pollination sufficient to produce
Beekeeping, or apiculture, is concerned with the seeds and fruits that man consumes in his daily life.
practical management of the social species of A. dorsata, the rock bee, contributes to approximately
honey bees, which live in large colonies of up to 20% of the total honey produced in India, even though
100,000 individuals. there is no clear official estimate available. The quantity
India is a country that inhabits four major honey of honey that is taken from little honey bees (A. florae)
bee species: two domesticated species, viz. Apiscerana is negligible. However, all the honey bee species are
(Indian or Asian honey bee) and A. mellifera (European important pollinators and need to be conserved. 11
honey bee), and two wild species, viz. A. dorsata (rock Honey has a long history of human consumption and
honey bee) and A. florea (dwarf honey bee). Beekeepers is most commonly consumed in its unprocessed state
in many of the Indian States, including Tamil Nadu, (i.e., liquid, crystallised, or in the comb). It is taken as
Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Odisha, medicine, eaten as food, or incorporated as an additive
and the North Eastern States, cultivate A. cerana, in a variety of foods and beverages. India has been
the Indian honey bee, and are dependent on it for known as the ‘land of honey’. Since centuries, honey
their livelihood. The honey obtained from A. cerana has been used to treat a variety of ailments through
constitutes hardly 5-10% of the total honey produced a wide range of applications. In India, beekeeping has
in India. Among the four species, A. mellifera is an been mainly forest-based. Thus, the raw material for
introduced species in India. A. mellifera ligustica, the production of honey is free from nature. Bee hives
known as the Italian bee, was introduced into India neither demand additional land space nor do they
24 Kurukshetra March 2024
Sl. Common name Scientific name Honey yield
No. per year per
hive (kg)
1 Indian bee Apis cerena 8-10
2 European bee Apis mellifera 25-30
3 Rock bee Apis dorsata 30-35
4 Little bee Apis florae <1
5 Himalayan bee Apis laboriosa 40-45
Source: AICRP on Honey Bee, 2018
From the above table, we can see that there
are mainly five species in India, i.e., Apis cerena
with a yield of 8-10 kg per year per hive, followed
by Apis mellifera with a yield of 25-30 kg, and then
Apis dorsata with yield of 30-35 kg, Apis florae with
less than one kg of yield, and finally Apis loborisa
compete with agriculture or animal husbandry for any producing the highest honey yield, i.e., 40- 45 kg.
input. The beekeeper needs only to spare a few hours Goal of ‘Sweet Revolution’ as part of Aatmanirbhar
a week to look after his bee colonies. Beekeeping is Bharat Abhiyaan
therefore ideally suited as a part-time occupation.
Beekeeping constitutes a resource of sustainable Keeping in view the importance of beekeeping as
income generation for the rural and tribal farmers. It part of the Integrated Farming System in the country,
provides them valuable nutrition in the form of honey, the Government approved the allocation for Rs. 500
protein rich pollen and brood. Bee products also crore for National Beekeeping & Honey Mission
constitute important ingredients in folk and traditional (NBHM) for three years (2020-21 to 2022-23). The
medicine. Honey has so far been consumed mainly as mission was announced as part of the Aatmanirbhar
a medicine and for religious purposes. A small quantity Bharat scheme. NBHM aims for the overall promotion
has been used in the kitchen as an ingredient in pickles, and development of scientific beekeeping in the
jams, and preserves. With increasing production in country to achieve the goal of ‘Sweet Revolution’,
recent years, there is an increasing trend to use honey which is being implemented through the National
in food. This is obviously the case with the affluent Bee Board (NBB). The main objective of NBHM is to
segments of the population. Forest honey is used in promote holistic growth of the beekeeping industry
the pharmaceutical, food, confectionery, bakery, and for income and employment generation for farm
cosmetic industries. and non-farm households, to enhance agriculture/
horticulture production, to develop infrastructural
Honey Bee Species in India
Intraction with Scientist how to improve the skill of
Species of True Honey Bees Farmers/Beekeepers
Kurukshetra March 2024 25
facilities, including the setting up of Integrated
Beekeeping Development Centres (IBDC)s/CoE,
honey testing labs, bee disease diagnostic labs,
custom hiring centres, Api-therapy centres, nucleus
stock, bee breeders, etc., and to empower women
through beekeeping.
Besides, the scheme also aims to create
awareness about scientific beekeeping under Mini
Mission-I, post-harvest management of beekeeping,
beehive products, including collection, processing,
storage, marketing, value addition, etc. under Mini
Mission-II, and research and technology generation
in beekeeping under Mini Mission-III. A total of Rs.
150.00 crore has been allotted to NBHM for 2020-21.
Status
Presently, it is estimated that with 19.34 lakhs
Beekeeping Equipments and Unit
honey bees colonies, 2.50 Lakhs beekeepers and
wild honey collectors’ harvest around 1,33,200 The above mentioned equipments have already
MT of honey in the country, which valued Rs.
been standardised by the Bureau of Indian Standards
2704.31 crore, considering the modem beekeeping
(formerly ISI). The following approved, drafts awaiting
which arrived in India only three decades ago with
the advent of the Khadi and Village Industries standardisation are (1) Cylindrical bee packages (2)
Commission (KVIC). India is one of the major honey Honey extractor tangential (3) Beeman’s kit.
exporting countries in the world and has exported
79,929.17 MT of natural honey to the world for the
worth of Rs. 1,622.77 crore during the year 2022-
23. More than 50% of the honey production in India
is being exported to other countries. India exports
honey to about 83 countries. The major markets for
Indian honey are the USA, Saudi Arab, United Arab
Emirates, Bangladesh, Canada, etc.
Development of Beekeeping Equipment’s:
Bee hives ISI (A type B type and C type),
Bee hives stand (folding type and fixed type)
Honey extractor Tangential and radial type
Comb foundation sheets
Some of these techniques include:
Comb foundation mill
(1) Management of apiaries year round
Travelling bee box
Wasp trap (2) Supplementary feeding in dearth period
Lay out of honey house (3) Swarm control
Lay out of honey processing plant (4) Management for higher yields
Solar wax extractor. (5) Apis mellifera management
(6) Migration both local and distant
26 Kurukshetra March 2024
Agrarian Economy: Bee pollination as a new
agricultural production strategy has immense
possibilities in an agrarian country like India. If bees
are incorporated into agriculture, the pollination is
well managed and crop yields increase significantly.
Thrust on Food Processing: The Government is
actively promoting food processing industries in
the country to enhance rural income i.e. policy
measures such as PM SAMPADA. Honey is a
high-value product and hence aligns easily with
government strategies.
Rising Industrial Demand: Honey forms a key
Inspection of beehives
ingredient in the ayurveda and pharmaceutical
Problems sectors in India. It is also thought to support the
The following are issues related to beekeeping: treatment of several more specific ailments. Hence,
Beekeepers cannot obtain honey boxes; the growth of the AYUSH and pharmaceutical sectors
There are no facilities for marketing honey; and is expected to have a positive impact on honey as an
industrial raw material in India.
Insufficient instruction in apiary management.
Strengthening beekeeping cooperatives, Rising Domestic Market: As a result of
establishing the bee business nationwide, and changing food habits and an increasing inclination
establishing beekeeping farms on forest land are all of consumers towards wellness foods and healthy
feasible ideas in this regard. alternatives to artificial sweeteners, the demand for
honey is expected to increase in the coming years.
Prospects of Apiculture The threat of Covid-19 infection has made people
Geographical Diversity: Besides the agricultural consume more because of its anti-microbial and
fields, several nectariferous plant species in the anti-inflammatory properties.
evergreen tropical and sub-tropical forests provide
forage to honey bees. This offers a potential of Scope
about 200 million bee colonies as against 3.4 The apiculture market is estimated to register a
million bee colonies today. CAGR of 4.3% during the period 2020–25, with Asia–
Genetic Diversity: There are only around seven Pacific as the dominant producer. As per a report by
commercially important honeybee species in the IMARC, the Indian apiculture market is expected to
world, but five of them are present in India. i.e. Rock reach a value of Rs. 33,128 million by 2024, expanding
bee, Indian hive bee. Hence, apiculture is resilient at a CAGR of nearly 12% by 2024. India is the sixth-
to climate change and environmental degradation. largest natural honey exporting country. During
2019–20, the recorded export of natural honey was
59,536.75 MT for Rs. 633.82 crore. The major export
destinations were the USA, Saudi Arabia, Canada,
and Qatar. The demand for organic honey in the
international market could be leveraged to promote
organic beekeeping guidelines. By propagating the
sector, the landscape for beekeeping and the species
could be expanded on a commercial scale.
This provides lucrative opportunities for
beekeeping industries. An organised and tech-driven
BeeKeeping unit bee-farming sector is an excellent initiative for
Kurukshetra March 2024 27
generating employment opportunities, with skill- Market Trends
building projects. It will also help attain Sustainable
The Indian apiculture market attained a value
Development Goals 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger),
of almost Rs. 18,836.2 million in the year 2020.
3 (Good Health and Well-Being), and 15 (Biodiversity
and Vibrant Ecosystem). The industry is further expected to grow at a CAGR
of 12.4% over the forecast period of 2021–2026 to
In regions with appropriate floral pasturage, reach a value of INR 37,235.9 million by 2026. A
beekeeping can be a lucrative profession. India has a FactMR study predicts the honey market to grow at
vast potential for beekeeping development because a positive CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period
of its diverse habitat and abundant floral resources (2019–2029). Honey continues to witness augmented
from both produced crops and natural plants. Based demand for healthy food applications across the
on current data, over 50 million hectares of land are globe. The consumption of apiculture products like
farmed for oilseeds, pulses, orchards, and other crops honey is increasing in the Asia-Pacific region due to
that benefit from bee pollination and are valuable the health benefits associated with honey and its by-
to bees. Furthermore, there are an estimated 60 products. The Indian honey market reached a value
million hectares of woodland with potential for of about INR 17.29 billion in 2020. The market is
beekeeping. At least one crore bee colonies may further expected to grow at a CAGR of about 10%
easily be supported by this enormous expanse of between 2021 and 2026 to reach a value of nearly
woodland and agriculture. INR 30.6 billion by 2026.
Men, women, kids, farmers, orchardists, the Competitive Landscape
landless, and the underemployed can all make
money from beekeeping. Bee hives can be located on Major players like Dabur India Limited, Bartnik,
the roof of a house or in the backyard. Beekeeping Baidyanath, Patanjali Ayurveda, Khadi, Himalaya,
can yield a larger income for a subsistence farmer Arnold Honeybee, Miller’s Honey Company, and
than other hobbies. Selling the extra honey and Beehive Botanicals Inc are making strategic moves to
wax from their hives can help beekeepers turn their make their business grow.
hobby into a successful business, provided they have Advantages of Honey
the necessary time and enthusiasm. A village or
List of health benefits of honey and make use of this
collection of villages may come together and form a
golden sweetener.
cooperative, creating jobs and revenue because basic
beekeeping supplies like hives, frames, smokers, Honey cleans blood and arteries
extractors, and containers can be made locally, as Use of honey is also beneficial to the throat
can beewax and honey. infection
Opportunities Use of honey by children is the best technique to
increase their memory power at the small age
The various end users assessed include food
& beverages, agriculture, military, medicine, and Use of honey avoids a cough, colds, digestive
cosmetic, paints and chemical, and others. Propolis, problem, eye disorders, blood pressure, etc
which consists of a range of plant resins collected by Honey is also used in the cosmetic
the bees and used to seal holes in the hive, has been
A teaspoon of honey with fresh butter prevents
used for a variety of purposes. It is now known to
you from fever
have a diverse range of pharmacological properties,
including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti- The use of honey provides lots of energy to the
bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-tumour, and some anti- body & helps in increases athletic performance
viral properties. Royal Jelly is widely used as a food Helps prevent cancer and heart disease
supplement, and there is some evidence that Royal Reduces ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders
Jelly may have some cholesterol-lowering, anti-
inflammatory, wound-healing, and antibiotic effects. Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal
28 Kurukshetra March 2024
Possible Products from Beekeeping (By-Products Royal Jelly: It is a secretion from the bees and
of a Honeybee Farm) contains proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, minerals
like iron, sulphur, copper, and silicon. It is used as a
Apart from honey, there are other commercially
general tonic and stimulant improving resistance to
important by-products like royal jelly, bees wax,
fatigue, learning capacity and memory, appetite, and
pollen, propolis, and bee venom.
general health improvement.
Honey: It is a viscous fluid produced from
the flower nectar by the bees. It is a whole food Beeswax: Beeswax is secreted as a liquid but
containing sugars, antibiotics, enzymes, acids, solidifies when exposed to air. It is chiefly used in the
and minerals, and is used as a high energy source. candle industry. Other major places where the bees
It is a useful carrier for many ayurvedic and unani wax is important are for making creams, ointments,
medicinal preparations. Honey is also recommended capsules, deodorants, varnish, shoe polish, etc.
Propolis: It is a mixture of the beeswax and
the resins collected by honeybee from plants. It has
an adhesive quality and is also used for preparing
ointments that treats cuts, wounds, dermatological,
and cosmetic treatment, etc.
BeeKeeping unit
Bee Venom: It contains active chemicals
for regular consumption in cases of malnutrition. like histamine, hydrochloric acid, formic acid,
Different types of honey are categorised by the apamine, etc. It is injected into patients suffering
flower sources as follows: from rheumatism. It also helps in curing neuralgia,
Acacia Honey Alfalfa Honey endoarthritis, necrosis, etc.
Aster Honey Avocado Honey Pollen: It is a mixture of flower pollen, nectar,
Basswood Honey Beechwood Honey enzymes, honey, wax, and bee secretions. It is loaded
Blueberry Honey Blue gum Honey with nutrients, amino acids, vitamins, lipids and
Buckwheat Honey Clover Honey several active substances. Hence, it is increasingly
Dandelion Honey Eucalyptus Honey being recognised as a medicine.
Fireweed Honey Heather Honey Conclusion
Ironbark Honey Jarrah Honey
Leatherwood Honey Linden Honey Beekeeping history is as old as human civilisation,
when people used to live in caves. It was during the
Macadamia Honey Manuka Honey
Cretaceous period that flowering plants evolved on
Orange blossom Honey Pinetree Honey
the earth, and honeybees also co-evolved in nature.
Sourwood Honey Sage Honey
Primitive humans used to hunt honey from wild
Tupelo Honey
honeybee colonies found in the cavities of hollow
Kurukshetra March 2024 29
trees, on rocks, etc., which is still practised by rural/ Beekeeping has the potential to generate income
tribal people. Nowadays, beekeeping has become a and employment opportunities for rural households
full-fledged industry, as it not only provides honey, by producing honey and other bee products such
beeswax, royal jelly, propolis, and bee venom, which as wax, propolis, etc. Honey is a high-value product
are very useful for therapeutic purposes and daily that has huge demand in domestic and international
uses but also has a significant contribution to the markets. It is also a source of nutrition and health
pollination of various fruits and crops. for consumers. It can also help empower women
India is one of the largest producers and and youth by involving them in beekeeping activities
consumers of honey in the world, with an estimated as entrepreneurs or in self-help groups. It not only
annual production of 1.2 lakh metric tonnes. India presents economic opportunities but also plays a
has a rich tradition and culture of beekeeping dating pivotal role in preserving the delicate balance of
back to ancient times. At present, about 12,699 our environment. By fostering sustainable practices,
beekeepers and 19.34 lakh honeybee colonies are embracing innovation, and nurturing knowledge-
registered with the National Bee Board, and India sharing platforms, we pave the way for a thriving
is producing about 1,33,200 metric tonnes of honey future for beekeeping entrepreneurs.
(2021-22 estimate). In November 2022, a new species
of endemic honeybee, the Indian black honeybee “Beekeeping may be the best source of income,
(Apis karinjodian), was discovered in the Western self-employment generation as well as nutritional
Ghats after a gap of more than 200 years. security in the future”
30 Kurukshetra March 2024
