Kashmir produces 4300 qntls honey annually
Principle Secretary Agriculture Production Department Sundep Kumar Nayak today convened an interactive meeting of Growers and Officers to review Apiculture Development Scheme at Agriculture Complex Lalmandi.
The joint Interactive meeting was attended by entrepreneurs, Beekeepers and officers of the Department. Among the officers Director Agriculture Kashmir Altaf Aijaz Andrabi, Director Law Enforcement Sushail Suhani, Director Finance APD, MD Agro Industries Development Corporation, Concerned Joint Director’s, Chief Agriculture Officers, Apiculture Development Officers & Apiculture Development Assistants attended the meeting.
Principle Secretary while interacting with the Bee-keepers and Entrepreneurs sought suggestions from them for making the Apiculture Industry profitable and emphasized upon the officers to focus on Apiculture to give boost to the Apiculture Sector. Naik also deliberated upon the officers that Apiculture sector is among the priorities of Chief Minister’s intervention Projects and Kupwara district has been taken as Model District under Apiculture Sector, where there are huge resources and Great potential for production & Exporting of honey.
Principle Secretary assured the Bee-Keepers and Entrepreneurs for all sort of support from the Department to boost the Apiculture Industry make it profitable. The meeting was informed that the department is providing training and awareness to the farmers interested in Bee keeping and department provides assistance of Rs.20, 000/- per unit of ten colonies to the farmers under RKVY scheme.
The Department is having about 45,000/- colonies with an annual production of about 4300 quintals of honey in Kashmir Division. The Beekeepers and Entrepreneurs requested the chair for creating better marketing facilities, creation of Bee Colony Multiplication Centres & supply of medicines to control the disease and Mite Varroa through the Department. They also requested for taking steps for preserving the Flora. Bee-Keepers also highlighted the problems being faced by them during migration.
MD Agro Industries assured the Entrepreneurs that the Department will facilitate marketing of honey by procurement on commercial prices.
KV Correspondent
