SRINAGAR: In commemoration of World Bee Day a Honey Testing and other Bee Hive Products Testing Laboratory funded by Honey Bee Board of India was inaugurated today at Krishi Vigyan
Kendra Bandipora by worthy Director Extension SKUAST Kashmir, Prof. Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar virtually inaugurated honey testing lab and processing units in Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttrakhand on the occasion of World Bee on Friday.The UN General Assembly has declared May 20 as World Bee Day in order to create awareness on the pivotal role of bees and other pollinators in keeping people and the planet healthy.
Another such laboratory has been established with financial assistance from National Bee Board (NBB) under National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) Scheme. Mr. Bashir Ahmad Haji, Comptroller SKUAST Kashmir, Dr Farahnaaz Rasool Deputy Director
Trainings, Dr. Tariq Sultan, Senior Grade Scientist KVK Bandipora, Scientists from KVK Bandipora graced the occasion. Dr. M.A.Parray, Head Division of Entomology, SKUAST- Kashmir, Dr. Parveena Bano, Principal Investigator NBHM Project Bandipora (Incharge Pollination Centre, SKUAST-Kashmir were present on the occasion. The laboratory is first of the type in district Bandipora and is equipped with state of the art instruments and equipments wherein testing facility can be availed by farmers for testing of honey and honey products free of cost. The facility can also be useful for organic certification of honey and honey products.
About 100 progressive Bee Keepers from different parts of District Bandipora participated.
Prof. Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, Director Extension, SKUAST-Kashmir emphasized the role of honey testing laboratory for the benefit of bee keepers regarding the purity and authenticity of their produce so that they can market their produce at good prices both at National and Global Level. Dr. Parveena Bano, P.I-NBHM Project Bandipora emphasized the importance of honey bees in pollination, honey production and other eco-system services provided by honey bees, besides generation of employment and enhancement of income of bee keepers, rural people and un-employed youth by establishing apiary units.

KR Desk