Economics of production and marketing of honey in Nainital district of Uttarakhand
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Date
2019-01
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Beekeeping is considered as a potential subsidiary occupation for generating additional income for enhancing rural livelihood. India holds eleventh position in honey production in the world. In India, Uttarakhand occupies ninth position in honey production in which major contribution is from Nainital district. In spite of these facts, very few rural people have adopted beekeeping on a commercial scale. In this backdrop, the present study was conducted to analyze the economics and marketing pattern of honey production. The study was based on primary data, collected from 60 beekeepers engaged in migratory beekeepeing, selected equally from Bhimtal and Ramnagar blocks of Nainital district. Simple descriptive tools along with regression analysis were used to attain several objectives of the study. The results revealed that average schooling years for beekeepers was 10.60 years in the study area. Average age of beekeepers was 39.50 years along with beekeeping experience of 11.15 years and 3.37 training programmes were attended by beekeepers. The average size of operational holding was found to be 1.57 acre per household at aggregate level. Wheat, paddy, vegetables and fodder were the principal crops grown by beekeepers in the study area. Beekeeping enterprise contributed maximum 23.43 per cent in the households’ annual income. At the aggregate level investment incurred to establish an apiary was Rs. 252982, out of which 80 per cent expenses were on bee colony and bee boxes. On an average 108.06 modern beehives and 0.86 traditional hives were owned by beekeepers. Two types of migratory route viz. inter-state and intra-state were followed by beekeepers during migration. The migration distance varied from 85 km to 968 km for different routes. Overall, average distance covered was 613 km with 6.10 average numbers of migrations. With 6.5 frequency of honey harvest average annual honey production per beekeeper was 2133.33 kg. The bee wax and rise in number of bee colonies was 23.53 kg and 23.67 per beekeeper respectively. Beekeepers sold only 2.83 per cent of honey in processed form and rest 97.17 per cent in raw form. On overall basis the total cost incurred to maintain a unit hive was Rs. 1727.82 out of which 78.21 per cent was variable cost. Main components of variable cost were expenses on migration, sugar supplement and labour. Overall gross return from unit hive was Rs. 1927.47. The cost of production of a unit of honey, wax and bee frame was found to be Rs. 75.36, Rs. 226.19 and Rs. 99.47, respectively. The gross returns from per kg of honey, wax and unit bee frame were Rs. 92.56, Rs. 253 and Rs. 111.03, respectively. Out of total thirteen explanatory variables, ‘beekeeping experience’, ‘apiary size’, ‘supplement feed’, ‘labour’, ‘cost on medicine’, ‘social group membership’ and ‘number of migration’ were positive and significant variables while ‘age’ was negatively significant variable that affected honey production. Out of total produced honey 96.85 per cent was sold in the market. The maximum amount of honey (57.11%) was sold through marketing channel II (Producer- Processor-Retailer-Consumer). About 39 per cent of honey was sold by 55 per cent of beekeepers through marketing channel I (Producer-Trader-Processor-Retailer-Consumer). Rest only 3.65 per cent was sold by 65 per cent beekeepers through marketing channel III (Producer-Consumer). March and April were most important months from view point of level of production and disposal of honey. Climatic and weather conditions, shortage of bee forage, diseases of honey bees, high cost of supplement feed, migratory problems and regulation for forest land use right were major constraints in honey production reported by beekeepers. Major marketing problems were unfixed price of honey, unorganized and unregulated market, lack of government concern and support and cumbersome procedure for retail sale. The major policy implications emerged from the study were (1) Promotion of beekeeping as a subsidiary enterprise in rural area to address the issues of income, employment and migration. (2) Creation of awareness among beekeepers to take the advantages of latest beekeeping practices. (3) Relaxation in rules and regulations of forest land used right to utilize forest flora and to provide sugar at subsized rate. (4) Evolving price support mechanism for better marketing of honey.
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