Apiculture or beekeeping is picking up in the city shedding its image as a rural-based farm activity, according to the Department of Horticulture. Even as Kadri Park is getting ready for a two-day honey and organic mela from Saturday, last year’s honey mela at the same venue prompted 50 persons to opt for apiculture within the city, Yogesh H.R., Deputy Director of the department, said here on Thursday.
“Now, 75 persons from the city have approached the department to train them in apiculture,” he told presspersons. Mr. Yogesh said that it required about ₹ 3,000 to keep a box with a colony of bees. Its regular maintenance was required to protect the colony form Thai Saacbrood, a viral disease. Application of turmeric powder on the box after removing dead bees helped in preventing the viral disease. He said that honeybees played a pivotal role in cross pollination and increase in production.
Referring to the two-day mela, he said that there would be a display of live honeybee colonies of at least five species which were not wild ones. Different equipment used in apiculture and honey products would be displayed. There would be a demonstration and sale of beverages made using honey and exhibition and sale of medicines made using honey. The Department of AYUSH would provide information on the uses and medicinal values of honey. Honey would also be available for sale.
There would be free entry for the mela and there would be training sessions for those interested in apiculture.
He said that people in the district could take up apiculture as subsidiary activity to get additional income. The department provided subsidy for the purchase of bee boxes and colonies only in rural areas but not in the city.
In the organic section, there would be an exhibition and sale of different inputs used in organic farming and there would be sale of vegetable seeds. Participants would be trained on how to get organic certification. Different groups would display organic products and sell them.
