BARAMULLA: The department of agriculture Baramulla on Thursday observed honey exhibition cum sale day in Baramulla which was inaugurated by the district development commissioner Baramulla Dr Gulam Nabi Itoo.
On the occasion the Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Baramulla Mohammad Yousuf Shah informed that among other sectors in Baramulla, agriculture has a huge potential for apiculture activities which is usually considered as a cottage industry as bees not only produce high value honey ,rich in vitamins and minerals but also are natural polinizers in apple and increase 30 % production by way of pollination and fruit set.
He said we have registered 250 beekeepers out of which 65 beekeepers are doing it on commercial lines besides a Government farm at Khawajabagh Baramulla, where farmers are trained about the beekeeping and honey processing.
This year during the spring season about 73 quintals of honey has been extracted and processed in the private sector for marketing and in Government farm we have harvested about 130 kgs of honey for sale among the citizens of the Baramulla district. It is for the first time in district Baramulla that the honey we produced from a government farm is distributed/sold among the prominent citizens of the district,which otherwise was sent to the directorate of agriculture Srinagar where it used to be sold.
On the occasion Deputy commissioner Baramulla Gulam Nabi Itoo hailed the efforts taken by the agriculture/apiculture department. Besides others chairman BDC Mir Iqbal Ahmad and other dignitaries were present.

Mushtaq Ahamd