APIARY FACILITY
Apiculture (Apiary Unit)
Active Since: 2019
KVK Pal, Jalgaon-I
5 min read
Apiculture Unit | Sustainable Beekeeping for Tribal Livelihoods
The Apiculture Unit at KVK Pal has been active since approximately 2019, promoting scientific beekeeping as an additional income source for farmers, especially in the Satpuda tribal area.
Hive Types
ISI-standard wooden box hives with 8-10 frames each.
Bee Species Details
Apis mellifera
(European/Italian Bee)
- High honey yield: 30-60 kg per colony/year
- Less swarming behavior
- Susceptible to mites
- Better for commercial beekeeping
Apis cerena indica
(Indian Bee)
- Lower yield: 6-12 kg per colony/year
- More resistant to local pests and diseases
- Better for natural forest areas
Total Hives at KVK Farm
50-100 demonstration hives
Training Program (Residential)
Duration: 5-7 days
Topics Covered:
- Bee biology and behavior
- Hive construction and site selection
- Seasonal management and colony division
- Honey extraction (centrifugal extractor)
- Queen rearing techniques
- Pest management (wax moth, varroa mite)
- Disease control measures
- Processing and packaging of honey
Certification: Provided in coordination with Agriculture Department, Maharashtra
World Honey Day Celebration (May 20th)
- Honey tasting sessions
- Bee product exhibition (propolis, bee wax, royal jelly)
- Farmer felicitation
- Distribution of bee colonies
Over 200 tribal families have taken up beekeeping as an additional income source through this initiative.
Impact in Satpuda Tribal Area
- Over 200 tribal families have taken up beekeeping as an additional income source
- Each family earns ₹15,000-25,000 per season from 10-20 boxes
- Promotes sustainable livelihood in forest fringe areas
- Supports pollination and biodiversity conservation