With the motive of flourishing beekeeping as an occupation, KVK, S.A.S. Nagar conducted vocational training at the District Administrative Complex, S.A.S. Nagar in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Farm
ers Welfare, S.A.S. Nagar. Training incharge Dr. Harmeet Kaur provided important information to the participants regarding history, life cycle of honey bees, division of labour in bee hives, use of different beekeeping equipment, method to extract honey & bee wax & protection of bee colonies from bee enemies. During the programme, Chief Agriculture Officer, Dr. Rajesh Kumar Raheja mentioned that not much initial investment is required to start this occupation. Sale of value added products of honey can make this profession more profitable, he added. Dr. Parul Gupta elaborated different recipes of honey like jam, drinks, chikki, pinnies etc. through value addition. During this training course, Dr. Parminder Singh, ADO, Majri provided detailed information regarding important flora of honey b
ees for production of quality honey. He also elaborated a method to prepare queen bees. Mr. Dalip Singh delivered a lecture on the importance of other hive products such as beeswax, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom from bee hives and how we can get profit by selling such products. He also distributed his value added diet Pinnies made from honey to the participants which were excellent in taste. Dr. Shikha, Deputy Project Director 
(ATMA scheme) provided information on schemes of the Horticulture Department to provide loan and subsidy for starting this occupation. Practical training was also provided to the participants during this training programme. For this purpose the participants visited Shergill farm, village Sohali where Mr. Jagmeet Singh Shergill showed bee colonies. Later, an exposure visit was also planned at the Apiary unit at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana where Dr. Amit Chaudhary guided the participants regarding seasonal management of bee hives. He also showed bee hives and bee colonies to the participants. The participants also visited Tiwana Bee Farm where Mr. Jaswant Singh Tiwana shared his success story of beekeeping with the participants and showed them the honey processing plant & different beekeeping equipment required in this profession. Literature on beekeeping was also distributed to the participants. The participants thanked KVK officials for conducting this informative training course.
