Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India has doubled its annual honey production to more than 1.5 lakh metric tonnes, while honey exports have tripled in recent years. He made the remarks during the 128th episode of his radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
PM Modi highlighted several regional initiatives contributing to the growth of honey production. He noted that Ramban Sulai honey from Jammu and Kashmir, made from wild basil, gained wider recognition after receiving a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. In Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district, the farmers’ organisation Gramjanya has set up a modern honey processing and tracking facility, benefiting over 2,500 farmers.
He also mentioned the work of Shivganga Kalanjiya in Karnataka’s Tumkuru district, which provides farmers with bee boxes and helps them collectively extract and market honey. PM Modi cited the Khiamni-Yangan tribe of Nagaland, known for traditional cliff-honey harvesting practices that have been passed down for generations.
The Prime Minister said that honey production has risen from 76,000 metric tonnes 11 years ago to more than 1.5 lakh metric tonnes today. Under the Honey Mission, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission has distributed over 2.25 lakh bee boxes, generating employment in rural areas.
PM Modi also spoke about natural farming, referring to his recent visit to a conference in Coimbatore. He said many trained professionals and young farmers are adopting natural farming methods, which he described as rooted in India’s traditional agricultural practices.