Beekeeper’s meet calls for increasing honey production

Trichy: A state-level beekeepers meet on Friday stressed the need to strengthen honey production for promoting rural entrepreneurship.The meeting, which was conducted as a part of the honey mission programme of the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (GVY), was conducted by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in Trichy. Best practices in beekeeping, technical advancements in honey production, and the role of honey in promoting biodiversity were discussed. Successful beekeepers shared their experiences and insights to maximize the potential of honey production. Environmental and ecological importances of the honey mission programme in providing sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural communities were explained by KVIC. A session on value addition in honey was conducted by A Kalyanasundaram, head, department of plant protection, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Trichy. He said that beekeepers should enhance the value of their honey by diversifying into honey-based value-added products. Innovative ways to produce products like organic honey, flavoured honey, honeycomb, and honey-based cosmetics were explained. Scientific techniques and market trends in improving the quality and shelf-life of honey were shared with beekeepers. "The key to the future of beekeeping in Tamil Nadu and across the country is the empowerment of beekeepers with the right tools, knowledge, and networks," said R Vasirajan, deputy director, KVIC, Chennai. With Tamil Nadu being a key player in the mission, KVIC said that they aim to expand its outreach and continue the support for beekeepers to increase honey production and ensure better market access.