The revolution in honey formally started in India half a decade ago.

Market development has been strengthened through the Madhukranti portal where more than 20 lakh growers are registered. Upscaling of the capacity building programmes especially linking women SHGs is also on the cards. Honey production data is generally collected by the National Bee Board (NBB) through the registered growers and only registered growers are involved in the export process.

According to the PIB, there are 19.34 lakh honey bee colonies registered with the National Bee Board. India produces about 1.33 lakh tonnes of honey (2021-22 advance estimate) and exports over half of its output, at 74,413 tonnes in 2021-22, worth ₹1,221 crore. The US constitutes the lion’s share of Indian honey exports (about 80 per cent) and prefers mustard honey, which is primarily used with bread.

To ensure checks on the issue of impurity, the Export Inspection Council (EIC) plays an important role through SPS (Sanitary Phytosanitary) measures. Recommended tests like C4, C3, and NMR (Nuclear magnetic resonance) are conducted on honey to detect impurities. However, prices have fallen drastically and growers are not able to cover their expenses.

One more important issue to note is the crystallisation of honey, which does not imply adulteration. Pure mustard honey tends to crystallise due to its higher pollen content. The government is also raising awareness about this aspect.

Assurances regarding honey’s originality and quality norms can be made through Geographical Indications (GI) tagging.

The government has engaged in dialogues with various stakeholders to expedite the process of geographical indications in the honey sector. However, it is surprising to learn that the current number of total GI-tagged agricultural products in India is approximately 450, much behind the leaders Germany and China. Unfortunately, right now there is only a single GI-registered honey product in India, — Marthandam Honey from Tamil Nadu. There are four other honey products in the process of obtaining a GI tag, belonging to Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and the Jammu region. Almost a decade ago, Cameroon registered its famous Oku honey under geographical indication, which led to improved price realisation.

However, researchers have claimed that even the GI tag could not ensure long-term economic viability for honey producers in Cameroon. A holistic development of the value chain, including honey by-products, is vital to ensure sustainability. For instance, Shahi Litchi from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, has a GI tag, but there should also be an emphasis on granting a GI tag for honey produced from it.

Booster Strategy

The government needs to prioritise a cluster-based approach to strengthen the Geographical Indication system for honey products. Emphasis must also be granted towards identifying and nurturing specific geographic regions, such as the Himalayan white honey from Himachal Pradesh. Producers are still at the mercy of supply chain agents. GI tag can provide unique identification not only in the domestic market but also in global markets, leading to increased income realisation for producers.

However, we should learn from the African example and focus on building more producer-friendly market channels based on quality and origin-based pricing. More emphasis should be placed on empowering the local community, facilitating knowledge exchange, and investing in modern paradigms to drive positive change in this direction.

Integrating honey-producing Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), co-operatives with various industries like wine, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals is vital. Sustainable value chain development can uplift small and marginal farmers associated under collectives.

The writer is Faculty at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar

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