Chandigarh: Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana said while taking steps towards crop diversification in the state, emphasis is being laid on promoting beekeeping business.
For this, a beekeeping policy has also been made and Haryana is the first state to make such a policy.
The state government has set a target of producing 15,500 metric tonnes of honey in the state by the year 2030.
Giving information here today, Shyam Singh Rana said a new program has been started to promote beekeeping activities in the state, such as honey production, pollen extraction and quality assessment. Under this program, special facilities are being given to beekeepers.
He said Haryana is the first state to prepare Beekeeping Policy-2021. Under this policy, a 10-year action plan has been prepared with the aim of focusing on quality honey production through various quality interventions.
He informed that under this scheme, the target is to increase the production of honey from the current 4,500 metric tonnes to 15,500 metric tonnes by the end of the year 2030. The Agriculture Minister said the Integrated Beekeeping Development Center, Ramnagar has been established in the Kurukshetra district.
Beekeepers are trained at this center so that they can start their own business. He also said that a special concessions are being given to beekeepers on purchasing goods from this center.A provision has been made to give 85 percent subsidy on purchasing boxes for beekeeping from here and 75 percent subsidy on purchasing equipment.
From the year 2019-20 to the year 2023-24, 56,610 boxes have been made available to beekeepers. The minister reiterated that the state government is farmer-friendly and various welfare schemes are being run for the benefit of the farmers of the state.