An analysis of challenges and barriers affecting honey production in Saharanpur District of Western Uttar Pradesh

Introduction

Honey production is an important agro-based rural enterprise that contributes significantly to sustainable agriculture, livelihood generation and environmental conservation. In recent years, apiculture has emerged as a profitable subsidiary occupation that provides additional income to rural households while enhancing biodiversity and crop pollination. Beekeeping supports agricultural productivity by improving pollination efficiency and provides valuable products such as honey, beeswax and royal jelly, which possess high nutritional, medicinal and commercial value. India is one of the leading honey-producing countries in the world due to its favorable agro-climatic conditions and rich floral diversity. Uttar Pradesh, particularly the western region of the state, has immense potential for scientific beekeeping because of the abundance of nectar-producing crops and suitable climatic conditions. Among the districts of Western Uttar Pradesh, Saharanpur occupies a prominent position in honey production and is popularly known as the "City of Honey." The district possesses diverse floral resources such as mustard, litchi, eucalyptus, sunflower, basil and fennel, which support beekeeping activities throughout the year. Honey production plays an important role in the rural economy of Saharanpur district by generating employment opportunities for small and marginal farmers, landless laborers and rural youth. Beekeeping is considered a lowinvestment and high-return enterprise that can easily be integrated with existing farming systems. In addition, apiculture contributes to increased agricultural productivity through enhanced pollination services, thereby improving crop yield and farm income. Despite its considerable potential, honey production in Saharanpur district faces several challenges that affect productivity and profitability. Many beekeepers still depend on traditional production methods and lack access to modern equipment and scientific knowledge. Honey producers also face various production and marketing constraints such as pest and disease attacks, climatic variations, excessive pesticide use, adulteration, www.extensionjournal.com fluctuating market prices and inadequate storage and transportation facilities. Furthermore, insufficient technical training, weak extension services and poor market linkages continue to hinder the sustainable development of the beekeeping sector. Recognizing the importance of apiculture for rural development and employment generation, the Government of India has introduced several initiatives, including the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM), to promote scientific beekeeping and improve honey production. However, inadequate awareness and limited institutional support remain major obstacles in the effective implementation of such programmes. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze the major constraints affecting honey production in Saharanpur district of Western Uttar Pradesh and to suggest suitable measures for improving the productivity, the economic viability and longterm sustainability of the beekeeping sector in the study area.

Research Methodology

This study employs a descriptive research design to systematically examine the obstacles faced by honey producers and to identify potential solutions for their improvement.

Study Area and Sampling Technique

The present study was conducted in Saharanpur district of Western Uttar Pradesh, which was purposively selected due to its significant contribution to honey production and widespread beekeeping activities. The district is popularly known as the "City of Honey" because of its favorable agroclimatic conditions, rich floral diversity and strong agricultural base. Nectar-producing crops such as mustard, eucalyptus, sunflower, mango and guava support large-scale apiculture in the region. Out of the eleven development blocks of the district, six blocks namely Gangoh, Nakur, Nagal, Sarsawa, Muzaffarabad and Sadauli Qadeem were selected for the study based on higher concentration of beekeeping activities and honey production potential. A multi-phase sampling method was adopted the selection of respondents. In the first stage, Saharanpur district was selected purposively, followed by the purposive selection of six development blocks. A complete list of honey producers in the selected blocks was prepared with the help of the District Horticulture Office (DHO), District Agriculture Office (DAO) and official agricultural records. The respondents were categorized into three groups based on the number of bee boxes owned, namely small (1-100 boxes), medium (101-200 boxes) and large (above 200 boxes). Finally, a stratified random sampling method was used to select 30 honey producers from each block, resulting in a total sample size of 180 respondents for the study.

Data Collection

The present study was based on both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data were collected from selected honey producers through a pre-tested and structured interview schedule prepared in both Hindi and English. The schedule included information related to socio-economic characteristics, beekeeping practices, production costs, income, marketing and constraints faced by honey producers. Secondary data were collected from various government reports, publications of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, National Bee Board, Directorate of Economics and Statistics and records obtained from the Department of Horticulture and Agriculture, Uttar Pradesh. The primary survey was conducted during the agricultural year 2024-25, while secondary data covered the period from 2001-02 to 2021-22.

Analytical Framework

The analytical framework of this study was designed to examine the major constraints affecting honey production in the Saharanpur district of Western Uttar Pradesh. To achieve the objectives of the study, the collected data were analyzed using appropriate statistical and analytical tools. Percentage analysis was employed to analyze the socioeconomic characteristics of the honey producers and various production-related variables, while 'Garrett's Ranking Technique' was utilized to identify and rank the major production and marketing constraints faced by the honey producers. Under this method, the ranks assigned by the respondents were converted into percentage positions using the following formula:

Per cent position = Where, Rij= Rank given for i th item by j th individual Nj= Number of items ranked by j th individual

Results and Discussion

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