The Evolution of Beekeeping Development in India

Beekeeping in India is not new. References to bees and honey appear in ancient Vedic scriptures, Buddhist texts, and even Mesolithic-era rock paintings discovered in Madhya Pradesh. Yet, for centuries, honey collection remained a wild, unorganized activity – tribes squeezed honeycombs by hand, losing beeswax and killing bees in the process. The shift from this crude tradition to a structured, science-backed industry didn’t happen overnight. It took policy interventions, dedicated institutions, and decades of sustained effort. This post traces how beekeeping development in India evolved from scattered colonial-era experiments to a full-fledged national mission.

Early experiments and the pre-independence era 🔗

The first recorded attempts at scientific beekeeping in India date back to the 1880s. Efforts were made in West Bengal (1880) and in Punjab and Kullu (1883-84) to keep Apis cerana, the Indian hive bee. These early experiments were largely unsuccessful. The first real breakthrough came from Reverend Father Newton in southern India, who designed a smaller, movable-frame wooden hive suited for Apis cerana around 1910-11. This design, known as the Newton hive, became the foundation for structured beekeeping in the country. Newton also trained rural people in Kerala during 1911-17 to harvest honey systematically.

Following Newton’s work, beekeeping activities gradually spread. Travancore saw considerable activity by 1917, and Mysore followed in 1925. But these were still isolated efforts, confined to specific regions with no national coordination or policy backing.

The Royal Commission on Agriculture (1928): a turning point 🔗

The real policy push came in 1928 when the Royal Commission on Agriculture – set up in 1926 under the chairmanship of Lord Linlithgow – submitted its report. The Commission recommended developing beekeeping as a cottage industry in rural areas. This recommendation gave a significant boost to beekeeping across India. Following this, beekeeping activities expanded to Madras (1931), Punjab (1933), Coorg (1934), and Uttar Pradesh (1938).

Two important institutional developments followed in quick succession. The All India Beekeepers’ Association (AIBA) was formed in 1938-39 at Nainital, providing the first collaborative platform for beekeepers nationwide. The association also launched a beekeeping journal to spread knowledge. Then, in 1945, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) established the first Beekeeping Research Station in Punjab, marking the beginning of formal scientific research into Indian apiculture.

Post-independence growth: from cottage industry to organized sector 🔗

After India gained independence in 1947, beekeeping received a new kind of champion – Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi recognized beekeeping as a vital part of rural self-reliance and included it in his broader rural development programmes. His vision set the stage for government action.

Initially, beekeeping came under the All India Khadi and Village Industries Board. In 1956, this Board was reconstituted as the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), a statutory body under the Ministry of Industry. KVIC brought previously unorganized beekeeping practices under a regulatory framework, providing structure, funding, and direction to the sector for the first time at a national scale.

Establishment of the Central Bee Research and Training Institute (CBRTI) 🔗

One of KVIC’s most significant contributions was the establishment of the Central Bee Research and Training Institute (CBRTI) in Pune on November 1, 1962. Set up in collaboration with the Maharashtra State Khadi and Village Industries Board, CBRTI became the apex institute for apiculture research and training in the country.

CBRTI’s work spans multiple areas: developing improved bee breeds, studying bee diseases and their management, designing better hives for Indian conditions, and exploring new uses for bee products. The institute offers training programmes for different audiences – from basic courses for beginners to advanced programmes for experienced beekeepers. Over the years, more than 50,000 people have been trained in beekeeping by CBRTI.

Introduction of Apis mellifera 🔗

A major milestone occurred in 1964 when Apis mellifera (the European or Italian honey bee) was successfully introduced into Indian apiculture. This species demonstrated significantly higher honey production potential compared to the indigenous Apis cerana. Its adoption gradually spread across commercial beekeeping operations, contributing to a substantial increase in honey output over the following decades.

Role of ICAR and the coordinated research network 🔗

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has played a sustained role in beekeeping development since the 1940s. Beyond establishing the first research station, ICAR launched the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Honey Bees Research and Training. This project currently operates through multiple centres across the country, with its administrative hub at Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar.

The AICRP network conducts research on pollination biology, bee health, colony management, and honey quality. It also works closely with state agricultural universities to generate region-specific knowledge and train extension workers. This coordinated approach ensures that research findings reach beekeepers on the ground through a network of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and state-level agencies.

The National Bee Board and policy-level coordination 🔗

While KVIC and CBRTI handled grassroots development and research, there was still a gap at the policy and coordination level. To fill this, the National Bee Board (NBB) was registered as a society on July 19, 2000, and was later reconstituted in June 2006 under the chairmanship of the Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation.

NBB serves as the nodal agency for the overall development and promotion of scientific beekeeping in India. Its responsibilities include formulating national policies, coordinating between central and state agencies, developing quality standards for bee products in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Standards, and linking beekeepers to markets and institutional support systems.

The Ministry of Agriculture also launched a Central Sector Scheme titled “Development of Beekeeping for Improving Crop Productivity” during the VIII Five-Year Plan (1994-95). This scheme laid the groundwork for subsequent, larger programmes by establishing training infrastructure and subsidized distribution of bee colonies and equipment.

The National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM): sweet revolution 🔗

The most ambitious programme to date is the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM), a Central Sector Scheme launched under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. With a total budget outlay of ₹500 crore, the mission was initially approved for three years (FY 2020-21 to 2022-23) and has since been extended through FY 2025-26.

The NBHM aims to achieve a “Sweet Revolution” in the country. It is implemented through NBB and operates via three Mini Missions:

Mini Mission-I focuses on improving crop production and productivity through pollination aided by scientific beekeeping. Mini Mission-II targets post-harvest management – collection, processing, storage, marketing, and value addition of bee products. Mini Mission-III is dedicated to research and technology development tailored to India’s diverse agro-climatic conditions.

Key achievements of NBHM 🔗

The results have been significant. India produced approximately 1.4 lakh metric tonnes of natural honey in 2024. The country exported around 1.07 lakh metric tonnes of honey worth USD 177.55 million in FY 2023-24, rising to become the second-largest exporter of honey globally – up from the 9th rank in 2020. Major export destinations include the USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Libya.

Under NBHM, the government has sanctioned 6 world-class honey testing labs, 47 mini honey testing labs, 6 disease diagnostic labs, and 26 honey processing units, among other infrastructure. The Madhukranti portal has been launched for online registration and traceability of honey sources. A National Centre of Excellence in Beekeeping has been sanctioned at IIT Roorkee. Nearly 100 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) of beekeepers have been formed.

KVIC’s Honey Mission and grassroots impact 🔗

Parallel to NBHM, KVIC has run its own Honey Mission since 2017. Inspired by the Prime Minister’s call for a “sweet revolution alongside the white revolution,” this initiative has distributed over 1,86,000 bee boxes and generated 18,600 direct employment opportunities. According to KVIC, the programme has also increased agricultural production yields by 25 to 40 percent in areas where beekeeping was adopted – a direct result of improved pollination.

KVIC’s approach goes beyond just distributing equipment. The commission connects beekeepers with markets, helps form self-help groups, and provides ongoing technical support. Its network of State Beekeeping Extension Centres (SBECs) across the country delivers hands-on training tailored to local conditions and bee species.

Other supporting organizations and programmes 🔗

Several other organizations have contributed to beekeeping development in India over the decades:

YMCA and Christian missionaries promoted beekeeping alongside rubber plantations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Ramakrishna Mission extended beekeeping activities to the northeastern states and West Bengal. Punjab Agricultural University played a key role in research and in popularizing Apis mellifera in northern India.

At the international level, organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have supported Indian beekeeping through technical guidance and capacity-building programmes. The celebration of World Bee Day on May 20 each year – recognized by the United Nations – has also helped raise public awareness about the ecological and economic importance of bees.

Challenges that remain 🔗

Despite this progress, Indian beekeeping still faces significant hurdles. Colony losses due to disease, pesticide exposure, and habitat degradation remain serious concerns. The sector is still heavily fragmented, with a large proportion of honey coming from informal, unorganized segments. Quality control and adulteration are persistent issues in the domestic market. Many small-scale beekeepers lack access to modern equipment, training, and market linkages.

Research on native wild species like Apis dorsata (the rock bee), which contributes significantly to wild honey production, remains underdeveloped. There is also a need for more region-specific training programmes that account for India’s vast diversity of flora, climate, and bee species.

Looking ahead: beekeeping as a pillar of rural development 🔗

The trajectory is clear. From scattered colonial-era experiments to the ₹500-crore NBHM, beekeeping has gradually moved to the centre of India’s rural development agenda. It sits at the intersection of agriculture (through pollination services), livelihood generation (for landless and marginal farmers), environmental conservation (through biodiversity support), and nutrition (through honey and other hive products).

The institutional framework – KVIC, CBRTI, NBB, ICAR, and state-level agencies – is now well established. What will determine the next phase of growth is how effectively these institutions reach the last mile: the tribal honey collector in central India, the smallholder farmer in Bihar, or the women’s self-help group in the northeast.

What do you think? Given that India has risen to become the world’s second-largest honey exporter in just a few years, what more can be done to ensure that small-scale beekeepers in remote areas benefit equally from this growth? And how can traditional honey-hunting communities be better integrated into the modern beekeeping ecosystem without losing their indigenous knowledge?

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beekeeping_in_India
2. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006252137
3. https://www.kvic.gov.in/kvicres/newhm/cbrtintro.html
4. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1925904
5. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1748-5967.70069
6. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2185400
7. https://psuwatch.com/events-reports/kvic-celebrated-its-diamond-jubilee-at-cbrti-pune
8. https://www.fao.org/home/en