India’s honey production has nearly doubled over the last decade, but the sustainability of its sweet revolution depends on protecting bees as essential pollinators and an unpaid agricultural workforce. Bees as an Unpaid Agricultural Workforce According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), pollinators contribute to almost one-third of global crop production and enhance yields in 87 of the 115 leading food crops.
Original external sources cited for this article.
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Prelims: Economy — institutions, terminology and factual features connected with the development.
Mains: GS-3 — contemporary application of the relevant syllabus theme.
Current–static link: Revise the underlying institution, policy or concept together with this development.
India’s honey production has nearly doubled over the last decade, but the sustainability of its sweet revolution depends on protecting bees as essential pollinators and an unpaid agricultural workforce.
India’s Beekeeping and Honey Sector India has emerged as the second-largest honey producer in the world after China, reflecting the expansion of apiculture and commercial beekeeping.
India’s honey production has nearly doubled over the last decade, from about 76,000 tonnes in 2013-14 to roughly 151,000 tonnes in 2025-26.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), pollinators contribute to almost one-third of global crop production and enhance yields in 87 of the 115 leading food crops.
Pollination by bees is particularly important for crops such as oilseeds, fruits, vegetables and several other food crops, making bees an important component of sustainable agriculture.
Beekeeping contributes to rural livelihood diversification, employment generation and agricultural productivity.
India’s Beekeeping and Honey Sector
India has emerged as the second-largest honey producer in the world after China, reflecting the expansion of apiculture and commercial beekeeping.
India’s honey production has nearly doubled over the last decade, from about 76,000 tonnes in 2013-14 to roughly 151,000 tonnes in 2025-26.
India exports a variety of natural honey, like rapeseed/mustard honey, Eucalyptus Honey, Lychee Honey, sunflower honey, etc.
Almost 70 per cent of India’s honey production is exported ($208 million in 2025-26), and India accounts for around 8.4 per cent of global honey exports.
National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
NBHM is a Central Sector Scheme, implemented through the National Bee Board (NBB), launched for the overall promotion and development of scientific beekeeping and the production of quality honey and other beehive products.
India’s honey exports have been highly concentrated in the US market, which accounted for approximately 76% of India’s honey exports in 2025-26.
Untapped Potential of the Domestic Market: India’s per capita honey consumption remains low at around 37 grams per year, despite the country’s large population and expanding production.
India’s honey production has nearly doubled over the last decade, but the sustainability of its sweet revolution depends on protecting bees as essential pollinators and an unpaid agricultural workforce.
Bees as an Unpaid Agricultural Workforce
Distinguish the immediate development from the permanent mandate or structure of the institution concerned.
Revise exact names, dates, locations and legal or institutional terms from the source points; do not infer facts not stated there.
Examine the significance of “The Sweet Revolution: Promoting Beekeeping and Protecting Pollinators”. Discuss its key implications and the way forward.
Connect the development with its institutional, policy, economic, social, environmental or security implications only where supported above.
In a Mains answer, separate the verified development from broader evaluation and use the named evidence precisely.
Begin with the immediate development and identify the central institution or policy issue.
Explain the relevant static concept.
Present the principal source-backed facts.
Analyse significance for India and the syllabus theme.
Discuss supported challenges or implementation gaps.
Use one named law, report, institution, date or example from the evidence box.
End with a balanced, institutionally feasible way forward without making claims beyond the available evidence.