Contingent plan to rehabilitate bee-keeping industry on anvil:Zargar

Srinagar, July 26 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Government has formulated a contingent plan for rehabilitation of bee-keeping industry which has suffered heavily due to outbreak of fatal disease known as ''Vorroa'' recently in the state.

The contingent plan involving Rs 65 lakh has been submitted to the Planning department for approval to save 11431 bee-colonies in Kashmir, Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Abdul Aziz Zargar, said.

A similar bee keeping rehabilitation plan for Jammu division will also be prepared shortly, he added.

He said the plan includes both long term and short term measures.

Mr Zargar said that since bee keeping is among the major contributing factors to the state's economy providing bread and butter to about 4000 families, it is proposed to provide financial assistance to the affected beekeepers for purchasing bee-colonies besides providing free of cost mendicants (formic acid) to them to ensure safety of surviving 11431 bee-colonies in Kashmir.

The bee-keepers would also be provided comb-foundation sheets under short term rehabilitation measures.

The Minister said that quarantine measures would be enforced to check the incidence of bee-diseases.

He said indigenous honey bee (Apis Cerona) under long term measures would be revived, in addition to evolving disease resistant strain of exotic honey bee (Apis Millifera).

The Minister said the flora and fauna in Jammu and Kashmir is ideal for apiculture development and the superior quality of honey produced here is known world over.

He said honey production in the valley has reached to 450 tonnes, of which 400 tonnes are exported.

The Minister said new technologies, modern hives and bee-colonies are being introduced to give boost to the apiculture in the state.

UNI BAS YA VV1606