Kerala to start a State Honey Mission for scientific beekeeping

6 November 2026

Agriculture Minister T. Siddique has announced a State Honey Mission to put Kerala's beekeeping on a scientific footing and raise farmers' incomes. He made the announcement while laying the foundation stone of a common facility centre being set up in Thiruvananthapuram by the Federation of Indigenous Apiculturists (FIA). The centre will house a modern honey processing plant and a quality testing laboratory, giving beekeepers better processing and marketing support. A high-level meeting of officials and experts this month will prepare a detailed action plan for the mission. Beekeeping in tribal areas and the collection of honey from forests will get special attention. The mission will draw on the support of the State Horticulture Mission, the National Bee Board and NABARD, and on funding from their schemes.