Sweet revolution: Mysuru embraces beekeeping for honey boom

With a rising demand for honey due to its health benefits, beekeeping is gaining traction in Mysuru district. The horticulture department has actively promoted apiculture, encouraging 497 farmers in 2022-23, 310 in 2023-24, and 560 in 2024-25 to take up bee farming.

Beekeeping not only boosts farmers’ incomes but also plays a crucial role in crop pollination, enhancing the yield of fruits, vegetables, and grains. The department has supported various scales of beekeeping, from large commercial farms to urban and small-scale operations.

Beyond honey, which boasts medicinal properties like antioxidants, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory benefits, beekeeping produces valuable by-products such as beeswax for candles, propolis, bee pollen, royal jelly, and bee venom—attracting more farmers to the trade.

Under the “Madhuvana” scheme, honey gardens have been set up, and farmers receive subsidies—50% for general category farmers and 90% for SC/ST farmers—on beekeeping boxes. Training, demonstrations, and assistance in setting up honeybee colonies further bolster the initiative.

Horticulture scientist B.T. Rudresh highlighted that beekeeping increases crop yields by 30-50% for sunflowers, cucumbers, tomatoes, maize, and pumpkins. Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Horticulture Manjunath Angadi announced the launch of “Jhenkara,” a dedicated brand for farmer-produced honey. Farmers can market their honey under this brand by signing an agreement with the horticulture department.

#Beekeeping #HoneyProduction #FarmersWelfare #SweetRevolution

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