Official honey price delights Jumla beekeepers

KATHMANDU, July 26: Beekeeping has emerged as a strong pillar of Jumla’s rural economy alongside apples, potatoes, and Marsi rice. This year, local farmers are not only looking forward for the autumn honey harvest but also but also expecting a fair and officially recognized price for their products

For the first time, the District Rate Determination Committee has fixed honey at Rs 2,500 per kilogram, giving beekeepers confidence that the state has formally recognized the value of their products. Previously, honey of the same quality was sold at varying rates, forcing farmers to bargain with traders. The absence of an official rate also created problems when seeking insurance.

“This decision is a reward for years of hard work,” said Devilal Budha of Kankasundari Rural Municipality-1, who runs the Sinja Organic Livestock and Beekeeping Farm. With 16 traditional hives, Budha produces up to 200 kilograms of honey annually. “Earlier, prices were uncertain. Now farmers will no longer have to sell their hard-earned products at throw-away prices,” he added. Favorable weather can earn him up to Rs 550,000 a year, while even in poor conditions he makes at least Rs 200,000.

Another farmer, Jay Bahadur Budha of Bumra village, who has kept bees for more than three decades, produces around 250 kilograms annually. “With a fixed price, we are encouraged to increase production,” he said. “Farmers can now focus more on quality instead of worrying about finding buyers.”

Other beekeepers, including Nanda Bahadur Kathayat and Harka Bahadur Kathayat, earn between Rs 50,000 and Rs 100,000 annually. They believe the guaranteed price will encourage younger generations to take up beekeeping.

The committee, chaired by Chief District Officer Tej Prakash Parsai, set this year’s honey price Rs 500 higher than last fiscal year. Rates were determined under the Public Procurement Regulations, 2008.

According to Dipendra Singh Dhami, information officer at the Jumla Agriculture Development Office, the official pricing is expected to attract new investment. “Farmers now feel assured that their products have a guaranteed value. This creates an opportunity to develop beekeeping into a more commercial agricultural enterprise,” he said.

Jumla, home to the Serana bee species, practices beekeeping across all 60 wards of its municipality and seven rural municipalities. Organic honey from the district is sold in Surkhet, Nepalgunj, Pokhara, and Kathmandu, and is popular among tourists. Farmers are now calling for bee insurance, noting that companies had previously refused coverage due to the absence of an official rate.

According to the Karnali Beekeeping Cooperative, Jumla has around 8,400 beehives producing approximately 50,000 kilograms of honey annually. At the current official rate, the district’s honey trade is estimated to exceed Rs 120 million.