Agri varsity hosts seminar on beekeeping
A state-level seminar on “Beekeeping and Honey Production” was jointly organised by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and the State Department of Horticulture at the University. The event, which was part of the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM), saw the participation of around 240 farmers, farm women, beekeepers and 20 officials.
Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, noted PAU was a pioneer in introducing high-yielding exotic Italian honey bees to India. This historic introduction has helped establish beekeeping as a profitable enterprise in the country. He urged the gathering to focus on producing quality honey and maintaining the health of bees.
Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research at PAU, emphasised the university’s significant contribution to the development of beekeeping in India through its apicultural research. He also highlighted the vital ecological service provided by bees in pollination, alongside their role in producing valuable hive products.
Dr MS Bhullar, Director of Extension Education at PAU, said the university has a strong “lab to farm” system, enabling the latest technical developments to be made available to farmers through established training programmes, Kisan Melas and workshops.
Dr CS Aulakh, Dean of the College of Agriculture, urged farmers to consider alternatives to the traditional wheat-rice cropping system and to explore subsidiary occupations as part of an Integrated Farming System approach to boost farm income.
Dr Manmeet Brar Bhullar, Head of the Department of Entomology, assured beekeepers of technical support when needed. She also highlighted how PAU’s efforts, in collaboration with beekeepers, have helped Punjab attain a prominent position in honey production nationwide.
In the technical session, experts from PAU and the State Horticulture Department discussed topics such as scientific beekeeping, selecting honey bee colonies, mass production of honey bee queens, honey processing, marketing, value-added products and available government schemes.
Dr Jagdeep Singh, HDO and Nodal Officer for Beekeeping, presented an overview of the status of beekeeping and various schemes under the NBHM.
An exhibition showcasing products from the State Department of Horticulture, the Department of Entomology and progressive beekeepers was also held. During a field visit, Dr Jaspal Singh, Dr Amit Choudhary and Dr Bharathi Mohindru demonstrated technologies related to hive products, pest management and bee husbandry.
Ludhiana