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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | The Honey Trap -Amit Khurana, Arnab Pratim Dutta and Sonal Dhingra

The Honey Trap -Amit Khurana, Arnab Pratim Dutta and Sonal Dhingra

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published Published on Dec 2, 2020   modified Modified on Dec 2, 2020

-Down to Earth

Investigation into the business of adulteration of honey

This story begins in the mustard fields of north India where beekeepers are getting ready for the next honey season. When the yellow flowers are in bloom, the bees suck the nectar and bring us goodness in the form of honey, which we then consume because of its many beneficial properties. We were alerted that beekeepers from this region and other parts of the country were in deep distress — they had reached the point where their business had turned unprofitable in the past few years. Prices of raw honey had crashed like never before.

But why? We asked. After all, the sale of honey is booming — the threat of COVID-19 infection has made people consume more because of its anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Drinking a glass of water with honey and lime has become the practice for millions of households.

Also, we know the Union government has a massive programme for beekeepers — some Rs 500 crore is being spent to build their livelihoods; giving money in the hands of honey producers. What then is making beekeepers lose heart in their business?

When Down To Earth travelled to these states, we heard a grim story repetitively. “We were getting good rates for our honey till 2014-15 and then they started to fall. From Rs 150 per kg, now the rate is close to Rs 60-70 per kg,” beekeeper after beekeeper told us. Ram Gopal, a beekeeper from Bharatpur, a major region for raw honey production in Rajasthan, said, “I have doubled my hives, but today my income is less than what I used to get five years ago. I am planning to give it up.” Amarnath Bhanwar Singh from Gango village in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP), said: “I have abandoned beekeeping because of low profit margins.” Sanjay Negi, who is both a beekeeper and trader based in Rampur, UP, said, “Beekeepers could survive only if they got a minimum price of Rs 120 per kg. But the current price is simply not remunerative”.

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Kindly click here to access the key findings of the study done by Down to Earth.


Down to Earth, 2 December, 2020, https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health/the-honey-trap-74476


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