Kerala has made substantial progress in honey production with the annual yield touching 8,000 tonnes in the just concluded season (January to May). However, because of the absence of procuring centres and a proper market chain, apiculturists are unable to sell off their produce profitably.
R. Viswan, a bee farmer based in Nilambur, Malappuram, who produced close to 90 tonnes of honey this season, said that though Horticorp was considered the nodal agency for apiculture expansion in Kerala, it hardly procured honey from local farmers like him. “I sell bulk of my production in various markets and to customers in Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru through my personal connections,” said Mr. Viswan who owns around 6,000 bee hives. “I sold a portion of the produce for ₹184 a kg this year, while a customer will have to pay around ₹800 to get 1 kg of branded honey,” he says.
In rubber plantations
Stephen Devanesan, general secretary of the Federation of Indigenous Apiculturists and former dean at Kerala Agriculture University, told The Hindu that honey from rubber plantations accounted for around 95% of the total honey production in Kerala, which came to around 8,000 tonnes this season.
Though the sector has the potential to produce around 80,000 tonnes of honey from 5,45,000 acres of rubber plantations in the State, the absence of a dedicated Honey Mission to coordinate marketing and production of value-added products has been hindering the growth of the sector, he said.
High moisture content
The high level of moisture content in the honey produced in Kerala dampens farmers’ prospects in the open market. Farmers will have to limit moisture content in honey to 20% to meet the stipulation of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), for which mechanised honey processing plants are required.
“For the sector to grow to its potential, revival of Honey Mission sanctioned by the State Budget in 2015 and implementation of a beekeeping project with scientific support is highly imperative. Also, awareness has to be created among the public on the utilisation of pollinators for better agricultural productivity. A unified price has to be fixed for pure Kerala honey which should be collected directly from beekeepers. Also, honey from other States should be discouraged,” said Dr. Devanesan. He also called for accredited honey testing laboratories to avoid adulteration and ensure the purity of honey.
