LUDHIANA, FEBRUARY 1: A training course on “Beekeeping” organized by the Department of Entomology of the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), for the farmers and the farm women of Punjab, began here today. The course has been organised under the auspices of National Horticulture Mission funded project on ‘Human resource development in beekeeping.’ The training programme will culminate on February 9.
Addressing the participants, Dr Balwinder Singh, Head, Department of Entomology, highlighted that, “PAU is a pioneer institute in the country in successful introduction, establishment, multiplication and dissemination of italian honey bees. This brought about the commercialization of beekeeping in India, in general and Punjab, in particular, thereby, enabling the country to export good quality of honey to the developed western countries.” The research and extension achievements of the PAU in the field of beekeeping have been well recognized throughout the country, said he, adding that the university is instrumental in dissemination of scientific technologies in beekeeping to the various stakeholders. With the efforts of the PAU experts, the Punjab state, at present, is leading in apiary honey production and is a hub of beekeeping, revealed he.
Dr P. K.Chhuneja, Principal Investigator of the project-cum-Technical Coordinator of the course, said that during the training, trainees were imparted training on various aspects of beekeeping including species of honey bees, their castes and division of labour, life cycle of Italian honey bees, various considerations for starting beekeeping, design and application of various apicultural equipment and machinery and seasonal bee management practices. The experts will also educate the trainees about the management of bee enemies and diseases including the recent problem of Varroa and wax moths.
Dr Jaspal Singh, Course Coordinator, said that the thrust will also be laid on swarming, robbing and queenlessness problems in honey bee colonies and their remedies, queen bee rearing techniques, honey extraction, processing, packing, quality and collection of other honey products viz. bee wax, royal jelly, pollen and propolis. The course will also dwell upon the loan facilities to beekeepers from banks and subsidy schemes of the government agencies.