We know the economic importance of Honey in our society.Also we can learn how to handle honey bees for bee keeping purpose.So if we can spare a little time and money,we can develop this idea to a successful business.For a farmer having crops,fruits,vegetables or plantations,Honey bee farming can yield double benefits for him.For a new farmer,Honey bee keeping is a new business as well as opportunity to realize the potential of other farming techniques.So lets have a look on Honey bee farming.
For starting a Bee keeping or Apiculture business, you need to have some idea about various aspects of Honey bee farm.Below details may help you.
Bee Hive Box
It is one of the Essential thing in a honey Bee farm.It is the box where Honey bees do their activities like build their combs,store Honey,Grow their young ones etc.So it is the primary place for a farmer to concentrate.A typical Honey Beehive box consists of Brood chamber,Honey chamber(Super) and a roof.Brood chamber consists of eggs of Queen and some honey.We can extract honey from honey chamber.The box should be protected from rain,direct sunlight and bee predators.A small honey bee farm can have 5 to 25 honey bee boxes.You can get Honey bee boxes from local bee keepers in your area.National Horticulture Board and Rubber Board also provides Honey Bee Boxes and financial aids for farmers.
Selecting Suitable Honey Bee
Selection of Honey Bee is one of the critical stage For a Bee farm.The nature of your farm depend on the Honey Bee breed you select.To have an idea about Honey Bee Breeds and their selection,visit my previous post about Selecting Suitable Honey Bee For Your Farm. European honey bee,Indian(Asian) honey bee,Dwarf(stingless) Honey Bee etc are suitable bees for your farm.
Essential tools Required
A beekeeper require some essential tools for safe handling of Bee farm.They are
- The smoker: Smoker is used to control aggressive bees in a box.This is mainly used during honey extraction.
- Hive Tool,Knife:This tool is used for handling Honey Bee Box ,its frames and Honey combs.
- Bee Brush
- Honey Extractor: It is a Mechanical equipment used for extraction of Honey.
Some farmers also use protective clothing during honey extraction.
Processing of Honey
Honey extracted from honey comb need to be processed for storage and packing.The extra water content and impurities are removed during processing.During processing, Honey is heated by placing it in a container which is heated by Hot water.After keeping it in 45 degree for half an hour,it is cooled.The impurities and water will be there on the top of honey and is removed.This process repeats until all impurities are removed.
Marketing and Profitability
If you can ensure the availability and quality of the Honey,marketing is not a problem.lots of Ayurveda companies require honey for their products.Government agencies also helps in marketing of Honey.The profitability of honey Bee keeping mainly depends on the Honey production rate.If you incorporate bee keeping with your Rubber plantation,the profit will be huge.There are lots of rubber plantation in India,especially in Kerala where we can utilize Bee Keeping.Bees also help in pollination of other plants in our farm.So it is a sustainable and profitable organic business that you can do within your farm for earning some extra money by improving the farm.
