Governor P. Sathasivam on Wednesday called for liberal provisions to include beekeeping in farm insurance schemes. He also underlined the need for value addition and quality assurance in the sector.
Mr. Sathasivam was speaking after inaugurating the 11th National Bee Keepers’ Meet and Honey Fest - 2019 organised by the Federation of Indigenous Apiculturists at the VJT Hall here.
Today, Kerala contributes to 70 per cent of the annual production of honey in India.
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Apiculturists in Kerala have realised the value of honey and beeswax and the free ecological services offered by the honey bees in boosting the productivity of agricultural crops through cross pollination, he said.
“'It is satisfying to note that they have commercially utilised three out of the five different species of honey bees found in the State, namely the Indian bee, Italian bee and the Sting-less bee. I hope our experts in agriculture would some day help our honey bee farmers to domesticate the rock bee and the little bee varieties also,” he said.
Of the 115 agricultural crops grown worldwide, 87 depend on insects for cross pollination. Among the insects, the honey bees carry out more than 80 per cent of the ‘pollination job’ in nature, he said. Bee-pollinated agricultural crops account for one-third of the calories consumed by human beings. It is here that the role of the honey bee becomes important in our primary sector, he said, calling for steps to promote honey production to boost the rural economy.
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Financial security
“'Our faith in the concept of rural economy would become stronger when we encourage every village of our country to become production centres of honey. Such an attempt would offer nutritional and financial security to every household, particularly women,” Mr. sathasivam said.
Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar presided over the function. The 11th National Bee Keepers' Meet and Honey Fest - 2019 is on till August 10.