For the people of Dophuchen (Dorokha) in Samtse, the return of a native who has worked in a beekeeping cooperative in Bumthang was the source of inspiration for them to take up modern beekeeping.

Forty participants attended a basic training on beekeeping at RDC Jakar conducted jointly with the Beekeepers’ Cooperatives of Bhutan (BeCoB). Participants included the BeCoB members and interested farmers, few of them with an educational background.

Gasa’s livestock sector initiated a trial beekeeping project in Khatoed gewog last week following the success story of beekeeping in Bumthang.

Local honey from Tsendagang is so popular that beekeepers are finding it difficult to meet the demand.

More people in Jigme Chhoeling Gewog in Sarpang are rearing bees. Almost every household owns beehives. Known as ‘honey village’, the locals here were trained to use hive with open top and moveable frames. Of 150 households, more than 90% of them are into the beekeeping business.

The Beekeepers’ Cooperative of Bumthang is finding it difficult to meet the ever-increasing demand for honey. Currently, honey produced in Bumthang is not sufficient even for the local market. And there are already demands coming from outside the country.

A honey collection centre will be opened in Thakorling under Patshaling Gewog in Tsirang soon. The centre is expected to boost honey bee farming in the gewog, which is already popular among many farmers.

Apiculture or beekeeping activity has been introduced in Wangduephodrang for the first time.