India becomes world’s no.2 honey exporter: What this means for Indian beekeepers

New Delhi: India has climbed to the second position among the world’s largest honey exporters, shipping around 1.07 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of natural honey worth USD 177.55 million in the financial year 2023–24, according to an official statement released on Sunday.

This marks a steady rise from the country’s ninth rank in 2020, reflecting India’s growing success in scientific beekeeping and apiculture.

What Is the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission?

The National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) is a Central Sector Scheme launched by the government to promote scientific beekeeping, increase honey production, and develop high-quality beehive products.

It is implemented through the National Bee Board (NBB) and was introduced as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Initially launched with a budget of ₹500 crore for three years (FY 2020–21 to 2022–23), the mission has now been extended for another three years from FY 2023–24 to 2025–26, with a remaining allocation of ₹370 crore from the original amount.

How does NBHM support the sweet revolution?

The scheme is a core part of the government’s “Sweet Revolution”, an initiative that aims to boost apiculture as a way to increase farmers’ income through organised and scientific beekeeping. India’s wide range of agro-climatic zones offers immense potential for honey production and export.

Beekeeping, often practised by farmers and landless labourers, forms an essential component of the Integrated Farming System. Beyond producing honey, it plays a vital role in pollination, which enhances crop yield, and provides additional income through valuable beehive products such as beeswax, bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis, and bee venom. These products have become significant sources of livelihood for rural communities.

What digital steps have been taken?

To improve transparency and traceability in the honey sector, the government has launched the Madhukranti portal, an online platform that enables registration and tracking of honey and other bee-related products. This system ensures that the source and quality of honey can be verified, supporting both domestic and international trade.

How is the mission being implemented?

The NBHM operates through three Mini Missions focusing on different aspects of the honey industry:

Mini Mission I: Concentrates on improving crop productivity through pollination, achieved by adopting modern and scientific beekeeping techniques.

Mini Mission II: Focuses on post-harvest activities such as collection, processing, storage, marketing, and value addition, alongside developing infrastructure for these processes.

Mini Mission III: Deals with research and technology development suited to various regions of the country to further advance the beekeeping sector.

The government highlighted that beekeeping not only supports ecological balance through pollination but also contributes to rural development and agricultural sustainability. 

IANS inputs