On the outskirts of Delhi, where there are scattered green fields, rows of wooden bee boxes hum with life. The faint sweetness of nectar mingles with the dust, while a gentle breeze carries the soft buzz of thousands of wings. Amid this quiet symphony, Parful Arya moves carefully, clad in a protective suit, gloves shielding his hands, eyes scanning the hives as ever so often, a bee brushes past him.
For Arya, leaving a steady distribution job in Delhi in 2016 to pursue beekeeping was more than a career change; it was a leap into a world of science, patience, and instinct. Today, he oversees 1,000 boxes, and is a leading voice for India’s small-scale beekeepers.
“I have learned every facet of beekeeping; from the types of bees to flowering periods, and how each step of the process affects the colony,” Arya explains. “It’s a technical process because you are essentially understanding a living system. Bees are not just honey producers; they are pollinators. They create the food we eat. Without bees, humans could face a food crisis in just a few years.”
Bees and Beehives are kept and reared in boxes. Arya and Indian beekeepers in general work primarily with Apis mellifera, a European species prized for honey production because it yields more, adapts well to hives, and migrates easily.
“A single Apis mellifera hive can produce around 30 kg of honey in five to six months,” Arya notes. “The bees are left in fields during flowering periods and return to the hive each evening. Then we move them, sometimes 250-400 km, to the next set of flowers.
Beekeepers migrate their hives across the NCR to Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab, targeting regions with longer flowering periods and lower pollution. Each migration lasts about 1.5 months, starting with mustard fields in Tonk to Bharatpur in mid-November. Later, the bees are moved to eucalyptus, ajwain, or other flowering crops depending on the season.
“This industry depends on timing,” Arya explains. “As summer approaches, flowering reduces, so honey production declines. Urbanisation and construction in Delhi are shrinking the land we use for hives, making it harder to maintain them.”
Ramesh Kumar, another young beekeeper from the Madhukranti Bee Farmers Welfare Society, Charkhi Dadri, Haryana says the work has transformed his life. “I never thought I could leave my old job and work with bees,” he says, standing beside a row of hives glistening in the afternoon sun. “It’s hard work, but when you see the bees return loaded with nectar, you feel part of something bigger. .”
Honey extraction presents its own hurdles. Indian honey naturally crystallises within 48 hours, making it difficult to sell in the liquid form that consumers typically prefer.
Arya’s experience reflects the realities of Indian beekeeping, but researchers like Toshan Kumar, an IIT Bombay student-turned bee researcher, highlights broader systemic challenges.
“The problem is not the bees,” he says, “it’s the system around them, the lack of proper equipment, fair pricing, and access to markets.”
India produces a variety of honey, but mustard honey remains the most sought after, comprising roughly 80% of production, with the remaining 20% blended from tulsi and ajwain. Commercial honey largely comes from Apis mellifera, yielding 30–40 kg per box, selling at around ₹120/kg. Native Apis cerana, found in hilly regions, produces only 9–10 kg per year, fetching ₹700–800/kg due to scarcity. Southern India hosts stingless bees, which yield just 300 g annually but are safer to handle.
Small-scale farmers often lack tools to monitor hive health. “We need devices that measure temperature, pressure, weight, even sound,” says Kumar, referring to prototypes like the “Bee Whale,” which collects hive data for easier management.
Pricing remains another hurdle. Exporters often dictate rates, fluctuating between ₹80–100/kg, sometimes refusing to buy at all. Imported sugar syrups from China are frequently mixed with honey, passing outdated FSSAI tests despite diluting quality. While newer technologies promise better detection, they are not widely implemented yet.
Many Indians are unaware of the honey industry and its diversity. Out of 26 known varieties, Arya produces five: mustard, eucalyptus, shisham, multi-floral (forest), acacia (Rajasthan), and ajwain honey. Consumers often buy the cheapest honey without knowing the unique benefits of each type. For instance, ajwain honey can aid weight reduction, while mustard honey is especially beneficial for arthritis.
Through Madhukranti, Arya and his team support around 10,000 beekeepers across 11 states, providing training, advocacy, and guidance under the leadership of their society presidents.
Beekeeping is a delicate balancing act. After the mustard season, bees require feeding for eight to nine months to survive reduced flowering periods, while rain and extreme heat pose constant threats.
Despite the challenges, both Arya and Kumar remain optimistic. “Beekeeping is a viable business for anyone willing to learn the craft and market their honey directly,” Arya says. “Urban consumers are curious and willing to pay for quality honey.”
Bees, their caretakers, and the researchers who study them share a single purpose: protecting an invisible workforce that not only produces honey but sustains India’s entire food system. In the quiet hum of the apiary, their work is as sweet as the honey it yields.
This article is written by S. Keerthivas
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