Beekeeping has now become a profitable source of earning for many people across the country. Today we will tell you about Brajesh Kumar Verma who earns Rs. 3 crores every year through beekeeping. Mastering his skills in Beekeeping, Brajesh, who hails from Madarpur Kevali village, Lucknow got himself acclaimed as the famous Apiculturist in Central Zone Uttar Pradesh.
Beekeeping, a profitable venture
Besides earning a good amount of livelihood from beekeeping, he also provides employment to many farmers and rural youths in the Zone and inspires others for practicing the same not only in Uttar Pradesh but in neighboring States too.
Due to economic constraints, Brajesh started cultivation in his parental land of 0.4 ha only. He also tried to get some land on lease for farming from his fellow villagers. He learnt about Beekeeping that was promoted by the Department of Horticulture, Government of Uttar Pradesh in 1990. To give an initial start, he consulted some literature on Beekeeping and visited the Department in Lucknow along with his few villagers where he was provided with one Bee Box for free. With his hard work and dedication, he managed to purchase 10 more Bee Boxes in two years from the returns he obtained by selling the Honey.
Later, Brajesh formed a Beekeepers’ group and got it registered by the name of “Abhishek Gramodyog Sansthan” with the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh. Apart from producing honey in huge quantities, the Organization established a Honey Processing Unit at Gosaiganj of Lucknow District with the support of the State Government’s Village Development Department.
The people in the team collect raw honey from the different villages, get it processed for high quality honey production and then sell it at the different outlets in the State. Brajesh also took part in the Well-Structured Training Programmes / Courses that were being conducted at KVK, ICAR-Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow. This helped him to get knowledge of efficient methods for good quality Honey extraction from the Beehives, branding of the product & its sale by establishing the different outlets in the State.
After getting good results of an On-farm trial conducted by KVK, ICAR-IISR, Lucknow, Brajesh started collecting the subsidiary products of Beekeeping from 2011. Now, this KVK technology is being adopted not only by him and his team, but several farmers in Lucknow and the nearby Districts and States.
Shifting of bee boxes
He migrates and shifts his 600 Bee Boxes round the year in the different States according to the availability of food materials for Honeybees. The shifting and migration of Bee Boxes depend on the availability of the crops at the flowering stage having sufficient quantities of Pollen & Nectar.
He began installing the Bee Boxes in Mustard Crop at the farmers’ fields in Lucknow District from November to February and later migrates to Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Darbhanga & Begusarai Districts in Bihar for Litchi, Maize and Pearl Millet Crops from March to September.
Earns crores every year from beekeeping
Seeing his success, many farmers connected with him for honey production, enhancing income and Entrepreneurship Development via Beekeeping. Till now, he has trained almost 6,000 farmers. Over 1,100 beekeepers of Lucknow are directly linked and associated with his organization and produce about 350 tonnes of honey, 150 Kgs Pollen & 100 Kgs Propolis. This helps in earning approximately Rs. 3 Crores every year.
The Organization sells its products through a Trading Company known as “Kiran Enterprises” with FSSAI License. Brajesh has recently started fabricating the Bee Boxes, Frame, Wax Sheet, Cover (inner and top), etc., with a view to make the Beekeeping Equipment easily available to the farmers and the rural youths.
Source- KVK, ICAR-Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow
