Mumbai, Maharashtra State Khadi and Village Industries chairman Ravindra Sathe on Friday called for an integrated beekeeping policy and a dedicated registration portal to track honey production and formalise the state’s apiary sector.
Talking to reporters, Sathe revealed that Maharashtra produced nearly 1.75 lakh metric tonnes of honey last year, 40 per cent of which was by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.
“The state, however, lacks accurate data on the total number of beekeepers and people engaged in honey-related activities. All of this works in an integrated manner. When we bring everyone together, we call it an integrated policy. Maharashtra also needs such an integrated policy,” he said.
He said that several beekeepers currently operate privately and are outside the official system.
“We believe all beekeepers should be registered. We are planning to create a dedicated portal through the Maharashtra State Khadi and Village Industries Board , on which every beekeeper can register. Israel has implemented a similar system, and we are considering introducing such an experiment in Maharashtra as well,” Sathe said.
He said the board has already begun efforts to consolidate data on beekeepers across the state.
“It is extremely important to have a complete database because that is the primary step. Once this is done, we will know the actual production figures,” he said.
Sathe pointed out that climatic conditions pose a major challenge to beekeeping, particularly during the monsoon season.
“Rain is a major enemy of beekeeping. During heavy rains, beekeeping becomes difficult because bee boxes have to be moved to areas with less rainfall. Bees cannot collect honey during rain, so they have to be fed sugar syrup to survive,” he said.
He said the Maharashtra government was coordinating with the state’s four agricultural universities to prepare a roadmap for the sector.
Sathe said the government currently runs a 10-day training programme for beekeeping and provides a 50 per cent subsidy on bee colonies after completion of the training.
He said that nearly 350 villages have been covered under the ‘Madhu Gram’ initiative, where beneficiaries received a 90 per cent subsidy and contributed only 10 per cent themselves.
The official further claimed that Maharashtra offers one of the highest procurement prices for honey in the country.
“While even the Khadi Commission procures honey at around ₹190 to ₹200 per kg, the Maharashtra State Khadi and Village Industries Board purchases organic honey at ₹500 per kg after checking its quality,” he said.
Highlighting the economic potential of beekeeping, Sathe said several byproducts, including propolis, royal jelly and pollen, can generate additional income for farmers and entrepreneurs.
“Beekeeping is a highly economical business that does not require large capital investment. It should be promoted on a larger scale, and more people should be encouraged to take it up as a profession,” he added.
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