Apiculture popularising in Kashmir

Hiranagar Border (Kathua), May 5 (ANI): Farmers in Hiranagar, which fal in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua District, have taken to apiculture in a big way. Hiranagar, which is near the Indo-Pakistan border, has adopted apiculture as a profitable venture for farmers.

Farmers said that initially they started the profession with 10 boxesf honeybees, which they have now increased to 60. Earnings from processed honey sales have been good.

"When the season is favourable and the crop yields are good, weroduce good amount of honey, almost two to three times. We produce honey worth about Rs. 50,000 to 60,000 rupees," claimed Daya Ram, a bee farmer.

The Gandhi Sewa Sadan in Hiranagar encourages beekeepers to take care about the marketing of honey. An automatic honey-processing unit has been installed in Jammu and Kashmir.

The raw honey is purified and cleanly packed in different sizes of jars.nce packed, the honey jars are then supplied to various parts of the country as per the demands.

The manager of Sri Gandhi Sewa Sadan, Surinder Kumar, said the plantas provided to maintain the quality of honey.

"We send the processed honey to various states like Delhi, Mumbai,ajasthan, Haryana. We face no problems in marketing. Though state government is not providing any aid to us, it is the Government of India which has provided the plant to us. This is our first plant in the Jammu Province, which is to maintain the quality of honey," said Surinder Kumar.

Farmers say they are receiving orders for honey from all over India and itreates ample opportunity to give employment to the unemployed youth.

India produces a total of 70,000 tons of honey every year, of which 25,000 tons is exported the world over. By Parvez Bhatt (ANI)