The government plans to organize a series of events across the country in collaboration with state governments and farmers to harness the export potential of honey in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a "sweet revolution" through the promotion of beekeeping and allied activities.
One such event is planned by APEDA, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, for honey export promotion in Chandigarh, involving exporters, stakeholders, and government officials, with the goal of encouraging farmers to pursue honey farming by ensuring quality production.
Given the massive increase in honey consumption around the world, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic, due to its natural immunity booster properties and as a healthier alternative to sugar, APEDA's goal is to boost honey exports by ensuring quality production and market expansion to new countries, as India's natural honey exports are currently heavily reliant on one market- the United States - which accounts for more than 80% of exports.
The government has approved a Rs 500 crore allocation for the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) for three years as part of the government's AtmaNirbhar Bharat initiative to boost honey production (2020-21 to 2022-23).
In the 'Mann ki Baat' programme, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the importance of honey in Ayurvedic medicine. Honey has been called an elixir. He stated that there are so many opportunities in honey production today that even students pursuing professional degrees are turning to it as a source of self-employment.
"We are working closely with the state government, farmers, and other stakeholders in the value chain to increase quality honey exports," said APEDA Chairman Dr. M Angamuthu. He also stated that India is renegotiating the duty structure imposed by various countries in order to increase honey exports.
APEDA has assisted honey producers in gaining access to export markets, as well as obtaining government assistance through various schemes, quality certification, and lab testing. APEDA is collaborating with exporters to address challenges such as higher freight costs, limited container availability during peak honey export season, higher Nuclear Magnetic Resonance test costs, and insufficient export incentives.
India, which began organizing exports in 1996-97, exported 74,413 metric tonnes (MT) of natural honey worth USD 163.73 million in 2021-22, with the United States accounting for the lion's share (59,262 MT). Other popular destinations for Indian honey included the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Morocco, Bangladesh, and Qatar.
In 2020, global honey exports totaled 7.36 lakh MT, with India ranking eighth and ninth in the world in terms of honey producing and exporting countries, respectively. Total honey production in 2020 was estimated to be 1.62 million metric tonnes, including honey extracted from all nectar sources, agricultural plants, wildflowers, and forest trees.
In India, the North East Region and Maharashtra are the major natural honey producing areas, and approximately half of the honey produced in India is consumed domestically, with the remainder exported around the world. According to the DGCIS, APEDA achieved total exports of USD 7.41 billion during April-June 2022, representing a 30.8 percent increase in terms of USD over the same period the previous year.
