Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) a Central Sector Scheme through National Bee Board (NBB).

The objectives of National Beekeeping and Honey Mission are to promote scientific beekeeping for holistic growth of beekeeping industry, increasing production of honey and beehive products,  income & employment generation, providing livelihood support to farm and non-farm households, women empowerment through beekeeping, to strengthen beekeepers by developing institutional framework through collective approach and to enhance agriculture/ horticulture production. Under the scheme project based assistance is provided to eligible Implementing Agencies (IAs) forwarded by the Central/ State Nodal Agencies for various activities. These include setting up of Integrated Beekeeping Development Centers, honey testing labs, bee disease diagnostic labs, Quality Nucleus Stock Development Centre, capacity building, technology demonstration, empowerment of women through beekeeping etc. NBHM also supports marketing, branding, value addition and Research & Development.

National Beekeeping and Honey Mission supplements the efforts of State Governments; Implementing Agencies and Stakeholder organizations to increase honey production, scientific beekeeping and enhancing agricultural productivity through project based approach, as per provisions of NBHM.

So far 7 world class honey testing labs, 66 mini labs to check adulteration, 83 honey processing units and 90 collection, branding & packaging units have been established. These support efficient storage and marketing. 81 Quality Nucleus Stock Development Centres  have been supported for producing quality queen bees and colony multiplication so far. Production of Honey increased from 80,530 MT in 2014–15 to 1,51,690 MT as per Horticulture Crops Statistics (2^nd Advance Estimates 2025-26) in 2025-26.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR in a written reply in Rajya  Sabha today.

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