Lok Sabha Question No. 1497 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-25
Subject: Promotion of Apiculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RABINDRA KUMAR JENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1497

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  JULY, 2017

## PROMOTION OF APICULTURE

1497.      SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the economic impact of apiculture (beekeeping), nationally and State-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has proposed any schemes to support the apiculture industry including but not limited to tribal beekeeping initiatives and if so, the details and the outcome thereof;
- (c) whether  research  has  been  conducted  on  the  cause  of  Colony  Collapse  Disorder,  its effect on agricultural output and its impact on economic welfare of farmers and beekeepers and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  considered  further  measures  to  promote  apiculture particularly through the mitigation of Colony Collapse Disorder; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

- (a): As such, no study on economic impact of apiculture (beekeeping), has been conducted.

However, it is mentioned that apiculture/ beekeeping contributes a lot by way of income generation through production of honey & other beehive products, enhancing yield of various crops by pollination support, generating employment, maintaining, environment sustainability & bio-diversity and by adopting as a source of livelihood, etc. by rural mass.

- (b): Khadi and  Village Industries Commission  (KVIC)  has  planned  for  trainings  and distribution  of  honey  bee  colonies  in  bee  hives  for  which  an  amount  of  Rs.  6.00  crores earmarked under Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). The unemployed youth can avail the benefit of PMEGP scheme, under which 15 to 35% credit linked subsidy upto the project cost of Rs.25.00 lakhs is available. Under Khadi Reforms Development Programme and Revamped SFURTI scheme, NGOs can also develop beekeeping clusters.

The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), Government of India, is implementing  Mission for Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)  for  overall  development  of  horticulture  in  the country.  Under  MIDH,  among  others,  to  promote  beekeeping  in  the  country,  assistance  is provided for various capacity building programmes (trainings & exposure visits of farmers/beekeepers,  officers/field  workers  etc.,  seminars/  workshops,  etc.),    production  of nucleus  stock  of  honeybees,  developing  bee  breeders,  distribution  of  honeybee  colonies, beehives,  supers,  etc.  and  complete  set  of  beekeeping  equipments  under  the  component  of 'Pollination support through Beekeeping'. The State Departments of Horticulture/Agriculture are the implementing agencies for implementation of the Mission's programmes/components in the field.  National Bee Board (NBB), a Society registered under Societies Registration Act, XXI of 1860, has also been designated as National Level Agency (NLA) for implementation of various activities/components for development of scientific beekeeping under MIDH.

ICAR - AICRP (HB&P) having research  plans  to  increase  the  genetic  diversity  of  the existing stock of Apis mellifera to breed more efficient strains.

Outcome of the above efforts, specially after restructuring of NBB  under the chairmanship  of  Secretary  (AC&FW),  DAC&FW  in  2006  has  been  adoption  of  Scientific Beekeeping in a big way in the country and there has been a jump in number of honey bee colonies ( about 10 lakhs in March, 2005 to about 30 lakhs in March, 2017), honey production (32,000 tones in March 2005 to 94,500 MTs in 2016-17), honey processing/export units (4 in March 2005 to about 20), Export of honey (9,000 tones in March 2005 to about 45,000 tones upto March, 2017), training of beekeepers in the technologies of production and various high value  beehive  products  like  royal  jelly,  bee  venom,  comb  honey,  pollen,  propolis,  etc.  The awareness about the role of honeybees/beekeeping in pollination support of various crops also created, etc.

ICAR  -  AICRP  (HB&P)  has  also  organized  18  training  programmes  in  modern beekeeping for  tribals  under  Tribal  Sub  Plan.  This  resulted  adoption  of  beekeeping/  hiring  of honeybee colonies for pollination of Apple orchards in Himachal Pradesh and increase of yield by 19.44 per cent and earning of additional income of 17496/- per farmer.

(c): Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is the phenomenon that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappears and leaves behind a queen, plenty of food and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees and the queen. CCD as reported in the western countries  like  USA,  Germany  etc.  is  not  reported  from  any  part  of  the  India.  The  research around  the  world  attributed  colony  collapse  disorder  to  multitude  of  factors  including  loss  of habitat, indiscriminate use of pesticides, outbreak of pests and diseases and climate change. Large scale use of neonicotinoids is believed to be one of the major factors behind the colony collapse disorder but the studies are yet inconclusive. Outbreaks of pests and diseases are the major factor for the decline of bee population in India but it cannot be termed as colony collapse disorder  as  observed  in  other  countries.  The  effective  bee  disease  surveillance  by  ICAR  AICRP (HB&P) is helpful in adopting effective timely control measures in mitigating the large scale loss of bee colonies.

(d)&(e): Yes. Though CCD is not reported from India. However, as preventive measure, the MoA&FW, Government of India has recommended multi institutional and multi location study on  evaluating  the  impact  of  neonicotinoids  on  Pollinators  with  funds  from  the  registrants  of neonicotinoids. ICAR - AICRP (HB&P) is the nodal agency for implementing the project. Nine Research centres in different states representing different agro-climate conditions were selected for conducting the studies. The main objectives of the studies are to evaluate the:

-  Toxicity of the neonicotinoids to foraging bees under field and semi tunnel trials
-  In vitro toxicity of neonicotinoid molecules to brood and adult bees
-  Pesticides residues in pollen, nectar , honey and wax

The decline in the population of wild pollinators can be mitigated by:

-  Promotion of organic agriculture and judicious use of pesticides.
-  Habitat management like planting of flowering plants, provision of artificial nesting sites for pollinators etc., for conservation and promotion of pollinators
-  Awareness programmes under National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) project on scientific and non destructive methods of extraction of wild honey and avoiding destructive method that kills thousands of rock bee, Apis dorsata workers.

Further,  NBB,  DAC&FW  has  decided  to  set  up  Integrated  Beekeeping  Development Centres (IBDCs)/Centres of Excellence (CoEs) on Beekeeping in the country. 10 IBDCs/CoEs as role model for beekeeping have been commissioned by NBB, DAC&FW  up to  March, 2017 in 10 States, one each, in Haryana, Delhi, Bihar, Punjab, MP, UP, Manipur, Uttarakhand ,J&K and TN. Honey bee Disease Diagnostic Labs  are one of the components/ activities in these centres (IBDC).

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