Role of honey Bees/Beekeeping in

enhancing productivity of pulses

(A3P/NFSM)
08th May, 2010.
Dr. B. L. Sarswat
Executive Director
National Bee Board
Beekeeping / Apiculture as fifth important input for overall development of
Agriculture in a sustainable manner.

• The main Inputs required for Agriculture are:

(1) Land
(2) Labour
(3) Capital and
(4) Management

 Adoption of Apiculture is also required as fifth (5th) Input to

get higher yields and quality production in cross
pollinated Agricultural and Horticultural crops.

 The efficacy of other four inputs used in Agriculture, in some crops,

is directly related to this input.
Potential of Yield increase in various legume crops due to bee
pollination
Legume/ pulses crops % increase in yields
Alfalfa 23.4 to 19,733.3
Berseem and other Clovers 23.4 to 33,150
Vetches 39 to 20,000
Broad Beans 6.8 to 90.1
Dwarf beans 2.8 to 20.7
Kidney beans 500 to 600
Runner beans 20.6 to 1,100
Other pulses (Pigeon pea, etc.) 28.7-73.8

 Bee pollination results not only in yield increase but also improvement in quality of produce.
 Hence beekeeping should be treated as 5th input which regulates other four inputs.
 10-15 Kg Honey / colony will be produced additionally during the crop season.
 Area under insect-pollinated major crops in the country( average of 6 years-
2001-02 to 2006-07)
Crops Area in Million hects. Crops Area in Million hects.
Avg. Avg. No. of Tl. No. of Avg. Avg. No. Tl. No. of B.C.
B. C. / ha. B.C. of B. C. / Reqd.
Reqd. Reqd. ha. (Million)
(Million) Reqd.
Gram 6.78 4 27.12 Cotton 8.50 4 34.00
Pigeon pea 3.47 5 17.35 Jute & Mesta 0.98 4 3.92

Other pulses 12.23 4 48.92 Sunhemp 0.41 5 2.05

Total Pulses 22.48 93.39 Tobacco 0.36 4 1.44

Groundnut 6.23 5 31.15 (0.07)*

Mustard 6.00 6 36.00 Fruits 5.32 6 31.92

Sunflower 1.91 5 9.55 Vegetables 6.98 5 34.90

SubTotal 14.14 76.70 (1.75)**

Other Oilseeds 8.82 5 44.10 Total 22.55 73.71

Total Oilseeds 22.96 120.80 Grand Total 67.99 287.90
* & **Calculated by taking only 5% area for seed production.
Note – If migratory / commercial beekeeping is taken into account, about 200 million bee
colonies in hives will be required & produce 10 million tonnes of honey, valued Rs. 8,00,000/-
million.
 Constraints in Beekeeping
1). Lack of the following:
• Awareness about yield increase in crops by BK through pollination;
• Adequate laboratories for disease prevention, control & analysis and quality
testing of products;
• Institutional support for beekeeping in terms of bank loans, etc;

2. Indiscriminate use of insecticides, pesticides, weedicides etc.;

3. A non-traditional newly introduced industry;

4. Tribals and illiterates from forests and remote rural areas are generally involved;

5. Flowering of plants and secretion of nectar and production of pollen – sole food of
honeybees, is influenced by climatic conditions;

6. The behaviour and life cycle of honeybees depend completely on climatic and
floristic conditions, which vary from place to place; and

7. Poor quality control for production of honey.

 Pollination support through beekeeping in NCIPM Districts under A3P/NFSM.
Area & crops proposed/ to be covered- 5,000 Hects. of pigeon pea & chickpea.
S. Activities Details of items and rate of Expenditure involved
No assistance (Rs. in lakhs)
1 Total colony requirement 20,000 (@ 4 colonies per -
hect.)
-Existing beekeepers’ colonies 20,000 (@ 500/- colony 100.00
transportation / migration
cost)
2 Capacity building programmes 15.00
(a) Farmers/ beekeepers trainings each of 10 (@ Rs. 750/- day +
a batch of 25 participants for one week transport) - NHM norms
within state ( total 250 participants)
(b) Out of state – each of a batch of 25 5 (@ Rs. 1000/- participants/ 10.00
participants for one week (125 trainees) day + transp.) - NHM norms
3 Publications/ publicity/pamphlets etc. 5.00
4 Seminar/ workshops - NHM norms 5 (@ Rs. 2.00 lakh per event) 10.00
(A) District level
(B) State level 5 (@ Rs. 3.00 lakhs/event) 15.00
5 Total 155.00
6 Supervision, monitoring, secretariat, etc. @ 15% of total cost 23.25
7 Grand total 178.25
 Economical viability
Expenditure proposed Income to be generated
Items Funds Items Income
proposed generation
(Rs. in (Rs. in lakhs)
lakhs)
1.Transportation/ 100.00 1. Yield enhancement @ 30% 300.00
migration cost of 20,000 on average yield of 7 qtls. /
colonies @ Rs. 500/- ha. = 10000 quintals (2*5000
colony. Total cost of ha.) @ Rs. 3000/- quintals.
colonies & hives would be
Rs. 600.00 lakhs.
2. Capacity building 78.25 2. Honey production during 160.00
trainings, publications, crop season @ 10 kg/ colony
seminars, etc. (20000*10 kg) 200 tonnes @
Rs. 80000/- tonne.

Total 178.25 460.00

Thanks.