Unable to sell honey owing to the lockdown, beekeepers in Punjab are in a jam. Every year they would produce mustard honey in large quantities and almost all of it was exported to the US and other countries. They are now forced to keep the honey in cold stores, an additional financial burden. The beekeepers, who have not earned any income, have had to pay for storage as well as transportation.
In March, the bees are transported back to Punjab and some sent to HP and Uttarakhand for floral honey. However, this time beekeepers could not do so. They say they have incurred losses with the bees dying because of the rising temperature.
Shailender Kaur, Director, Horticulture, said as mustard honey could not be exported, “we are trying to approach big companies.” Narpinder Singh of Bee-Keeping Association said they had written to the PM for help. “While 70-80% of mustard honey is unsold, a fall in floral honey production has left us in a mess,” uation,” he said.
- 1,800 tn of honey produced annually
- 3,000 beekeepers in the state
This news has not been edited by Apni Kheti staff but has been published by various news feeds
Source: The Tribune
