Last Updated:
Beekeeping along with mustard cultivation can double the income of farmers. Bee pollination increases the yield of mustard by 15-20%. Besides, there is additional production of pure honey. Farmers can establish bee colonies when the crop flowers in December and earn additional income of up to ₹ 1 lakh annually.
Deoghar: There is a good news for the farmers cultivating mustard. They can also adopt beekeeping along with their farming. Due to this the yield of mustard increases by 15-20 percent. At the same time, they will also get production of pure honey. Due to which their income can double. Dr. Vivek Kashyap, an agricultural scientist posted at the Agricultural Science Center of Deoghar, has explained in detail in this regard.
What do agricultural scientists say:
Dr. Vivek Kashyap, an agricultural scientist posted at the Agricultural Science Center in Deoghar, told Local 18 that you can do beekeeping anywhere. But if you keep bees in the mustard field then the production of mustard will increase. Because bees protect against insects that destroy mustard crops. This increases the yield and also increases the income.
Honey along with the crop:
The biggest advantage of cultivating mustard with bees is that the farmer gets two products from the same field – mustard and pure honey. While on one hand the crop yield increases by 15 to 20 percent, on the other hand bees also produce several kilos of honey annually, which can be sold at good prices in the market. This means that there can be a double increase in the income of the farmer.
When and how to start:
Beekeeping with oilseed crops like mustard is not a difficult task. Many agricultural science centers and agricultural universities also provide scientific training to farmers for this. After this, bee boxes have to be installed according to the size of the field, in which beekeeping is done. In the beginning, by planting 50 to 60 boxes, you can earn additional income up to Rs 1 lakh annually. After this, the number of boxes can also be increased to increase profits.
Do beekeeping in December:
This work starts from December, when the flora i.e. flowers start appearing in the mustard crop, then a colony of bees can be planted. Even after this, when mustard is harvested, berseem or flower cultivation is done in some areas. Due to this, the bees will not wander here and there even after the mustard is harvested and flora is available till April May and it becomes another new source of income for the farmers.
