Farmers gathered round Jagpal Singh Phogat’s farm in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, intrigued by the sight of bee packing containers positioned throughout his wheat fields. A trainer by career, Jagpal deftly dealt with the buzzing packing containers, drawing laughter from the onlookers — together with his personal father.
“My household opposed my choice to begin beekeeping, particularly my bapu (father). He sarcastically mentioned, ‘Arey grasp, gaay paal le, bhains paal le, bakri paal le, murgi paal le, makkhi ke pali? Ud javegi. (You could possibly have opted for cow rearing or buffaloes, poultry, or goat farming, why did you select to lift bees? They may fly away),” shares Jagpal as he recollects his father’s remark.
In 2001, beekeeping was an unfamiliar idea of their village. Whereas many dismissed Jagpal as loopy, their views shortly modified after they witnessed the exceptional outcomes.
“Inside a month, I managed to fill not less than 25 giant tin containers with honey,” recollects Jagpal. “Till then, we had solely seen honey in small bottles. Even my father was astonished and requested how a lot it may promote for. I advised him every container was price Rs 2,000. That was greater than we may earn from six months of laborious work on the wheat farm. Stunned, he mentioned, ‘Why didn’t you begin this sooner?’”
Coming from an agricultural background, the place incomes Rs 50,000 per acre from wheat farming was a problem, Jagpal realised that beekeeping provided far higher benefits over conventional farming strategies.
“Beekeeping requires a one-time funding and gives yields 12 months after 12 months, not like farming, the place it’s a must to re-sow for each season,” Jagpal (59) tells The Higher India. “That’s a giant distinction. Plus, any small farmer can begin beekeeping, even with out a lot land.”
We sat down with Jagpal to study extra about some great benefits of beekeeping, its affect on native farmers, and the potential for wider adoption of this eco-friendly follow.
From classroom to apiary
Jagpal started his profession as an English trainer at a personal secondary faculty. Nevertheless, an opportunity encounter with beekeeping by means of a relative sparked a newfound ardour. This wasn’t only a profession change; it marked a transformative shift in his perspective on farming and group growth.
Beekeeping, as Jagpal found, provides a number of benefits over typical farming practices. “Firstly, it’s an eco-friendly method,” he says. “Bees play a vital position in pollination, which is an important part of agriculture. Introducing beehives right into a farm boosts pollination charges, resulting in increased yields for farmers in a radius of as much as two kilometres.”
This localised pollination profit is especially important in water-scarce areas the place optimising crop yields is paramount. “And a very powerful facet is that beekeeping doesn’t require any recurring bills. With only one time funding, anybody can reap advantages 12 months after 12 months,” he explains.
In 2001, Jagpal started assembly bee farmers in Ludhiana, Punjab, to study extra about beekeeping. He bought 30 bee packing containers from a farmer in Delhi, investing Rs 60,000 — at Rs 2,000 per field. With none formal coaching, he relied on studying from different farmers and his personal hands-on expertise.
His first encounter with bees, nevertheless, was removed from nice. “Whereas eradicating a hive body, bees stung me within the eyes, leaving them badly swollen,” he recollects. “It occurred as a result of I didn’t perceive bee behaviour on the time. However my ardour stored me going. As a substitute of being scared, I selected to study extra about how bees behave.”
He provides, “When eradicating the body from the field, it’s necessary to do it gently to keep away from stunning the bees. Additionally, keep away from carrying perfumes, fragrant hair oils, or black clothes, as these can irritate them.”
Whereas persevering with his educating job, Jagpal started practising beekeeping on the aspect. After mastering the nuances of the commerce, he determined to stop educating in 2007 to commit himself absolutely to beekeeping.
Empowering over 500 fellow farmers
Jagpal raises the Apis mellifera number of honey bees. “This selection provides excessive manufacturing and boosts pollination. Through the flowering season, honey will be harvested inside simply 10 days. On common, I get round 40 kg of honey per field yearly,” he informs.
The farmer additionally travels to numerous states — together with Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Haryana — to entry the various floral sources in these areas. By introducing his bees to forests of neem, litchi, sesame, eucalyptus, apples, and mustard, he is ready to produce all kinds of high-quality honey.
Beekeeping isn’t nearly honey manufacturing for Jagpal.
In 2016, he established his personal processing unit and step by step started producing byproducts like beeswax, cleaning soap, bee pollen, and royal jelly. By showcasing his merchandise at offline exhibitions, he was in a position to create a pan-India market — primarily in main metropolitan areas like Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Hyderabad.
“My son has additionally joined me within the enterprise,” provides Jagpal. “He created an internet presence for our merchandise.” He sells his merchandise below two manufacturers — ‘Nature Recent’ and ‘Bee Buzz’. Final 12 months, Jagpal achieved an annual turnover of Rs 2 crore.
He says, “Any farmer can begin beekeeping and earn good-looking earnings. It requires a one-time funding and also you’d be capable of recuperate the funding inside a 12 months.”
At 59, Jagpal actively shares his information and expertise with different farmers, demonstrating the sensible software of beekeeping strategies. By mentoring and guiding others, he ensures that the advantages of beekeeping are accessible and sustainable in the long run.
Thus far, he has skilled not less than 500 farmers in beekeeping. One such farmer is Dharmaveer Singh Nandal from Mehrana village in Jhajjar district. With Jagpal’s steerage, Dharmaveer realized about beekeeping and shortly arrange his personal enterprise in 2003.
“I began with 30 bee packing containers, and now I’ve 2,500,” says Dharmaveer Singh Nandal from Mehrana village. “Initially, I used to be a bit sceptical and scared about dealing with honey bees. However Jagpal ji helped me perceive the character of bees and some great benefits of beekeeping. In comparison with farming wheat, paddy, and mustard, it’s very helpful. Right this moment, I earn between Rs 5 to 10 lakh a 12 months.”
It’s been 25 years since Jagpal began within the honey enterprise. Reflecting on his choice, he says, “There was a time when villagers referred to as me ‘bawla’ (loopy) and visited my farm simply to mock me. However those self same folks finally took up beekeeping themselves. I’m glad I used to be in a position to introduce them to the advantages of beekeeping, and I proceed to take action.”
Edited by Pranita Bhat; All pictures courtesy Jagpal Singh Phogat
