Tura, July 9: In a significant step towards boosting the honey industry in Meghalaya, the Incubation Centre at NEHU’s Tura Campus has procured the first instalment of 1000 kg (1 ton) of exotic wild unprocessed organic honey.
The procurement was done on July 7, 2023, by Dr. R. Sasikumar, Nodal Officer of the Incubation Centre at NEHU Tura Campus from two cluster groups, which were developed by DCIC of Mawkyrwat. The cluster leaders are Twoldingson Jyrwa of Iatreilum Honey Cluster, and Tokingland Shangdiar of Nangkiewirat Combine San Shnong Honey Cluster, and Nely Syiemlieh of Tynnai Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
Known for its distinct environmental conditions and floral diversity, the South West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya is renowned for producing the ‘best honey’ in the state.
The Incubation Centre at NEHU Tura Campus has maintained stringent quality control measures, ensuring the superior quality of honey procured from various hotspots in Meghalaya. Each batch of honey undergoes thorough testing, including NMR and pollen tests, prior to large-scale procurement.
Dr. R. Sasikumar expressed the Incubation Centre’s commitment to procure 20,000 to 25,000 kg of honey annually from the South West Khasi Hills District, ensuring a minimum support price (MSP) for the honey producers. To encourage high honey production, the Incubation Centre plans to distribute apiculture input support items such as bee boxes, nets, extractors, and other equipment to promising cluster groups in the region.
The Incubation Centre at NEHU Tura Campus has set clear objectives, aiming to intensify honey production, encourage traditional beekeepers to adopt modern and scientific beekeeping practices, and promote beekeeping as a self-employment opportunity for unemployed youths, thus contributing to sustainable economic development. Further, 300 apiculture farmers were trained successfully and input supports were distributed by DCIC based at Mawkyrwat.
The efforts of NEHU Tura Campus extend beyond honey procurement. Under collaborative programs with ICAR-NIBSM, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, and the North East Hill Program (NEH) scheme, the Incubation Centre has distributed agricultural, horticultural, and apiculture input support items to 500 farmers in Meghalaya between 2019 and 2023. This collaboration, facilitated by Dr. P. K. Ghosh, Director of ICAR-NIBSM, and Dr. P. Mooventhan, Senior Scientist and Nodal Officer of ICAR NIBSM, aims to enhance the welfare and socio-economic development of farmers in the North Eastern Region (NER). In 2020, an MoU was signed between ICAR-NIBSM and NEHU for a five-year period (2019-2024), further solidifying the partnership.
The rising popularity of natural honey in the global market presents a promising opportunity for beekeepers in the northeastern region of India. With abundant floral resources and a robust market, the region is naturally suited for apiculture promotion. India witnessed an increase in honey production from 94,500 MT in 2016-17 to 1,25,000 MT in 2020-21, driven by growing domestic demand. In 2020-21 alone, India exported approximately 60,000 MT of natural honey worth Rs 713 crore to major destinations such as the United States, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Bangladesh, and Qatar. The rising preference for honey as a healthy alternative to artificial sweeteners has further fuelled its demand in both domestic and global markets.
It is to be mentioned here that Vice-Chancellor of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Prof. P. S. Shukla, had launched the “Mithi Kranti” or Sweet Revolution on the eve of Honey village adoption program on August 15, 2022 at Aminda Rangsa, Gambegre Block, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya. As the sweet revolution takes shape in the state, the efforts of NEHU Tura Campus, supported by collaborations and initiatives, promise to transform the honey industry, uplift local communities, and promote sustainable beekeeping practices in the region.
Also Read: First Tailoring School building inaugurated in Garobadha
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on-
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/nemediahub
