Rukum West beekeepers produce honey worth Rs 25m

RUKUM WEST: Beekeepers in Rukum West district have produced 21 metric tonnes of honey worth Rs 25 million this year.

The volume of honey produced this year is higher than the previous years and the farmers made Rs 25 million by selling honey, Chief of District Agriculture Development Office Min Bahadur KC said.

Mostly, Baphikot, Athbiskot, Sanibheri, Musikot and Triveni produce high-quality honey in the district.

The farmers are selling the honey at Rs 1,000 per kilogram (kg) in the market. The honey produced here is also exported to Kathmandu, Dang and Nepalgunj.

Office Chief KC shared that the district recorded good production of honey as the honeybee got sufficient pasturelands due to limited rainfall during the time of honey production.

The District Agriculture Development Office has been supporting the beekeepers through bee block development programme and the need-based support is extended to the farmers for better output.

As many as 200 farmers in Rukum West have kept beehives for commercial purposes by keeping modern and wooden hives.

Due to lucrative income from honey production, the locals here have switched to this business in recent years.

However, gradual decrease in pastureland for bees, maximum use of pesticides and limited technical knowledge of beekeeping remain some of the big challenges in this sector.

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