New Delhi, Aug 13 (KNN) Government has planned to organize a series of events across the country in collaboration with state governments and farmers to promote export potential of honey.

This is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘sweet revolution’ through promotion of beekeeping and allied activities.

APEDA for export promotion of honey involving exporters, stakeholders and government officials in Chandigarh is organising such an event in the UT.

The event will focus on encouraging farmers towards honey farming by ensuring quality production.

APEDA is aiming is to boost honey exports through ensuring quality production and market expansion to new countries as at present.

India’s natural honey exports are majorly dependent on one market which is United States that accounts for more than 80 per cent of the exports.

As a part of the government’s AtmaNirbhar Bharat initiative to boost honey production, the government has approved an allocation of Rs 500 crore for the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) for three years (2020-21 to 2022-23).

“We are working in close collaboration with the state government, farmers and other stakeholders in the value chain to boost quality honey exports,” said Dr M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA. 

India is also renegotiating the duty structure imposed by various countries for boosting honey exports, he added.

Indi which started its first organized exports in 1996-97, has exported 74,413 metric tonnes (MT) of natural honey worth USD 163.73 million in 2021-22, with the United States taking a major share at 59,262 MT. 

United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Morocco, Bangladesh and Qatar were the other top destinations for Indian honey.

In India, North East Region and Maharashtra are the major natural honey producing areas in the country and around 50 percent of the honey produced in India is consumed domestically, while the rest is exported across the globe.

As per the DGCIS, APEDA has achieved overall exports of USD 7.41 billion during April-June 2022 by registering a growth of 30.8 percent in terms of USD in comparison to the same period previous year.  (KNN Bureau)