Ranchi: India’s Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Arjun Munda laid the foundation stone of the country’s fifth and eastern region’s first state-of-the-art Large Honey Testing Laboratory, Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre, Bamboo Cultivation Project and other projects. With this, the beginning of the sweet revolution also began in Eastern India. There are such laboratories in the country in NDDB Anand, IARI, Delhi, IIHR, Bangalore and IBDC, Haryana. With the construction of this laboratory here, the eastern region can be developed as a ‘honey hub’.
Thousands of honey producing farmers will get export opportunities along with expansion in the domestic market, which will raise their standard of living. On this occasion Munda said that honey was never exported from this area, although there is a large area for honey production. After the food shortage that occurred between 1940 and 1960, the Green Revolution came to the country and production increased in the country.
Production increased but soil erosion also occurred. After 2013, we have become alert in many cases. Even today we import oilseeds and pulses. This is for man to move forward by creating a relationship with nature and causing less damage to the soil. Bamboo Mission is also being started in this area. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government has always given priority to agriculture and allied sectors and farmers in the country.
In this sequence, with the aim of giving international recognition to the unique honey varieties of Jharkhand and surrounding states – Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha the Central Government has approved a state-of-the-art large honey testing laboratory and other projects.
Farmers and beekeepers participated in large numbers. Various institutions including National Beekeeping and Honey Mission and Krishi Vigyan Kendra – Khunti, Ranchi, Gumla, Simdega, Seraikela, West Singhbhum participated in it.
On this occasion MP of Ranchi Sanjay Seth, Padmashree Ashok Bhagat, BAU IARB Vice Chancellor Dr SC Dubey, IARB Director Dr Sujay Rakshit and other public representatives and dignitaries were present.