Honey Mission reaches Qutubgarh

Qutubgarh Village: It was celebration time for the villagers here – elderly and young – when they got the maiden production of honey from the bee-boxes by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) recently, under its 'Honey Mission' Programme.

Dinesh Singh, one of the 10 farmers, who received 100 bee-boxes altogether from the KVIC in the village, said that in less than two months' time, they extracted 485 kilograms of honey valuing around Rs 97,000. "We want to create a record in honey production that the people should know our village as 'Honey-Garh' from now onwards," he said.

Corroborating similar views, Harish Rana informed that the whole process of honey-extraction was celebrated like a festival as people from all age groups not only watched the live extraction, rather even tasted the freshly extracted honey. "Our village, which has fertile agricultural land and won accolades on a number of occasions for its high yield of crops, is now emerging as one of the most honey-producing zones in proximity to the national capital. The sale of this honey has already begun in the village itself," he said.

Vinai Kumar Saxena, KVIC Chairman was also present at the occasion, when the bee-boxes were distributed by New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi, by whom the village is adopted.

Enthused by the villagers' massive response for KVIC's 'Honey Mission', Saxena said: "We have got massive success in it across the nation. What we have started now as an add-on to supplement the 'Honey Mission', is the plantation of Moringa (Drumstick) saplings. While bee-keeping will increase the yield of the crops in and around the areas of bee-boxes, Moringa will yield best medicinal honey and good nutritional foods to the farmers," he said.

He also informed since 'Moringa' is also known as Green-gold; this cash-crop can generate more income to the bee-keeping farmers.

Making a mark in the history of India, KVIC has distributed around 55,000 bee-boxes, across the country so far.

The commission not only distributed bee-boxes, but it also created more than 7,000 new employment under 'Honey Mission', besides creating around 6,000 additional man-days through the fabrication of bee boxes and honey extractors.

Apart from that, KVIC also provides the bee-keepers the free practical training about examination of honeybee colonies, acquaintance with apicultural equipments, identification and management of bee enemies and diseases, honey extraction and wax purification, and management of bee colonies in spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter seasons – before distribution of bee-boxes.