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.
