Honey production begins in villages close to Terai Elephant Reserve under
man-jumbo conflict mitigation plan
Keshav Agarwal, Times of India
January 24, 2023
In the initial phase of the man-jumbo conflict mitigation plan launched in
the rural belt in proximity to Terai Elephant Reserve (TER), Pilibhit, the
villagers began producing honey under the direct assistance of TER
authorities.
The TER authorities laid beehive fencing at the interface between the core
forest and the villages to deter wild elephants from barging into the
habitations. This move was taken as the elephants shun bees fearing being
stung.
In addition, the beehive fencing aimed at providing the local communities
with an additional source of income and converting them into wildlife
protectors. The honey was titled ‘Jewel of Terai’ and is ready for
marketing under Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR).
Preparations are being made for the product’s certification by Food Safety
and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and its collaboration with
multinational companies like Amazon and Flipkart. Apart from this, TER is
set to open exclusive outlets to sell the honey.
“TER’s PTR component provided 25 bee boxes to 6 marginal farmers in village
Puraina Talluke Maharajpur and Tanda Chhatrapati free of cost while the
intensive training of beekeeping and honey processing was given by experts
of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF),” said Naveen Kandelwal, the divisional
forest officer of TER.
He added, “We have identified as many as 24 villages highly sensitive from
wild jumbo’s infiltration. A target has been fixed to provide at least 100
bee boxes in each of these villages.”
Colonel Prabhjot Singh Bindra, an expert apiculturist in village Baivaha,
told TOI, “A bee box with nine sections produces 35 to 50 kilograms of
honey during the five monthly seasons of bees’ honey collection annually.
The locals can easily achieve an average production of around 95,000
kilograms of honey a year with 2,400 bee boxes”.
The DFO said that the price of honey was fixed at Rs 400 a kilogram, and by
selling 95,000 kilograms of honey per year the locals can raise gross
incomes to the tune of Rs 3.8 crore.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/honey-production-begins-in-villages-close-to-terai-elephant-reserve-under-man-jumbo-conflict-mitigation-plan/articleshow/97288624.cms
Honey production begins in villages close to Terai Elephant Reserve under
man-jumbo conflict mitigation plan
Keshav Agarwal, Times of India
January 24, 2023
In the initial phase of the man-jumbo conflict mitigation plan launched in
the rural belt in proximity to Terai Elephant Reserve (TER), Pilibhit, the
villagers began producing honey under the direct assistance of TER
authorities.
The TER authorities laid beehive fencing at the interface between the core
forest and the villages to deter wild elephants from barging into the
habitations. This move was taken as the elephants shun bees fearing being
stung.
In addition, the beehive fencing aimed at providing the local communities
with an additional source of income and converting them into wildlife
protectors. The honey was titled ‘Jewel of Terai’ and is ready for
marketing under Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR).
Preparations are being made for the product’s certification by Food Safety
and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and its collaboration with
multinational companies like Amazon and Flipkart. Apart from this, TER is
set to open exclusive outlets to sell the honey.
“TER’s PTR component provided 25 bee boxes to 6 marginal farmers in village
Puraina Talluke Maharajpur and Tanda Chhatrapati free of cost while the
intensive training of beekeeping and honey processing was given by experts
of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF),” said Naveen Kandelwal, the divisional
forest officer of TER.
He added, “We have identified as many as 24 villages highly sensitive from
wild jumbo’s infiltration. A target has been fixed to provide at least 100
bee boxes in each of these villages.”
Colonel Prabhjot Singh Bindra, an expert apiculturist in village Baivaha,
told TOI, “A bee box with nine sections produces 35 to 50 kilograms of
honey during the five monthly seasons of bees’ honey collection annually.
The locals can easily achieve an average production of around 95,000
kilograms of honey a year with 2,400 bee boxes”.
The DFO said that the price of honey was fixed at Rs 400 a kilogram, and by
selling 95,000 kilograms of honey per year the locals can raise gross
incomes to the tune of Rs 3.8 crore.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/honey-production-begins-in-villages-close-to-terai-elephant-reserve-under-man-jumbo-conflict-mitigation-plan/articleshow/97288624.cms
