SHILLONG: Meghalaya’s Minister of Agriculture, Banteidor Lyngdoh said the state government would make efforts to uplift the welfare of bee-keepers and was planning to set up of Meghalaya Honey Bee Board.
He was speaking on the occasion of World Honey Bee Day organised by the Office of the District Horticulture Officer, East Khasi Hills at All Saints’ Hall, Shillong on Tuesday.
He urged the bee-keepers to take advantage of the schemes from the government to promote bee-keeping in the state.
Later, speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said bee-keeping has many commercial benefits and stated that the setting up of Food Processing Centers in the state will be beneficial for packaging of honey.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Production Commissioner, K.N. Kumar also spoke on the occasion where he expressed concern that the population of bees has been coming down globally as well as the diversity of bee is showing a declining trend.
According to him, the indiscriminate use of pesticides by farmers is the reason behind the declining population of bees. He said, “The bees get the smell of pesticides and in the process lose direction and then they die. Pesticides are injurious to health.”
Kumar also stressed on the rearing of indigenous honey bees instead of introducing a non-indigenous species of bees.
Pointing out that State Agriculture Research Institute should focus on rearing of indigenous honey bees as ICAR cannot look into state-specific agricultural issues, he said the ICAR had the concern to produce more in quantity which in turn leads to a compromise on quality.
