Meghalaya pushes for honey testing labs, bee corridors to boost rural economy

Tura, June 5: A two-day state-level seminar on scientific beekeeping concluded at NEHU’s Tura campus with experts and policymakers calling for dedicated honey testing laboratories, scientific processing hubs, and stronger support systems to transform beekeeping into a major rural livelihood sector in Meghalaya.

Organised by the National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in collaboration with the Department of Agribusiness Management and Food Technology, North-Eastern Hill University, and the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority, the seminar brought together around 250 participants and featured 26 expert deliberations under the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission.

Experts highlighted the potential of integrating beekeeping with oilseed cultivation, saying improved pollination, migratory beekeeping practices, and modern apiculture technologies could significantly boost farm productivity and rural incomes across the state.

A key outcome of the seminar was a set of policy recommendations aimed at strengthening Meghalaya’s honey value chain. These included establishing regional honey testing laboratories and processing centres, expanding credit-linked support for farmers adopting beekeeping, and promoting large-scale registration on the Madhukranti portal to connect producers with domestic and international markets.

The seminar also recommended the creation of community-led migratory bee corridors and subsidised training kits for smallholders to address foraging challenges and improve ecological sustainability.

Speaking at the valedictory session, experts stressed that scientific beekeeping could emerge as a viable agri-enterprise for rural communities if backed by quality assurance infrastructure, market access, and institutional support.

Special recognition awards were presented to Joseph Basumatary and V. Valentine Hembrom for their contributions to promoting scientific apiculture in Meghalaya.

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