Team News Riveting
Raipur, January 11
Under the National Horticulture Mission and the State Plan, the “Sweet Revolution,” or beekeeping scheme, is transforming the lives of farmers in the state.
The scheme has emerged as a lucrative alternative business for farmers, offering high returns with low investment. With the aim of increasing farmers’ income and promoting rural entrepreneurship, the department is encouraging farmers to integrate beekeeping with their agricultural practices.
Significantly, beekeeping is proving to be an effective means of generating employment at the village level. The business is being taken up not only by farmers but also by young people and women as a means of self-employment, enabling them to earn additional income and become self-reliant.
Beekeeping is easy for women and unemployed youth due to low labor requirements and simple procedures
Horticulture department officials stated that small, marginal, and landless farmers in the state can also start this business without requiring additional land. This work can be successfully done with just 5 to 10 beehives. Due to low labor requirements and simple procedures, women and unemployed youth can easily adopt beekeeping. The subsidy provided by the government on beehives is making this business even more accessible.
Subsidies for Beneficiaries
Under the scheme, beneficiaries are given a subsidy of Rs 1600 on a unit cost of Rs 4000 for a beehive box with a colony. In addition, a subsidy of Rs 800 is given on a unit cost of Rs. 2000 for a bee colony, and a subsidy of Rs 8000 is given on a unit cost of Rs 20,000 for a honey extractor. Under the state scheme, a subsidy of 50 percent or Rs. 1000, whichever is less, is given on the per-unit cost of Rs 2000 for bee colonies and beehives.
2382 Farmers Benefited from Subsidies
Officials stated that under the scheme, each farmer engaged in beekeeping will be eligible for a minimum of 5 units and a maximum of 50 units each of bee colonies and beehives, according to the prescribed criteria. The department has benefited 2382 farmers by providing subsidies under the central and state schemes in the current financial year.
Training and Technical Guidance Provided to Farmers for Beekeeping
Beekeeping is not limited to honey production; it is a profitable business that yields valuable products such as beeswax, royal jelly, and propolis in addition to honey. Beekeeping plays a crucial role in increasing agricultural production. Pollination by bees significantly increases the yield of fruits, vegetables, and other crops. Mangoes, guavas, sunflowers, coriander, vegetable crops, and wildflowers are considered excellent sources of nectar and pollen for bees. Farmers are continuously provided with training, technical guidance, and awareness programs to encourage them to adopt scientific beekeeping practices.
