𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐭𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫

…𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒑𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏

By Leki Chungdon

Farmers in Jangcholing village, Samtse Gewog, have for decades relied on hollow log hives for beekeeping. The shift to modern wooden beehives is now changing the practice, improving honey yields and providing households with an additional source of income.

Ran Bdr Gurung is among the growing number of farmers who have adopted the new method. The wooden hives, he said, not only provide better conditions for bees but also make harvesting easier without disturbing colonies. For many farmers, honey production has more than doubled, turning what was once a subsistence activity into a more reliable income source.

For rural households, the extra earnings help meet daily expenses and support children’s education. Local agriculture officials say the transition is gradually transforming beekeeping from a side activity into a viable livelihood option. Training and support programs have encouraged more farmers to participate.

Gurung, from Nimaling village in Chiloksa chiwog under Samtse Gewog, said he ventured into beekeeping after receiving training from officials in Bumthang last year. “Since then, I have started the beekeeping business and was able to produce between 20 to 25 liters of honey, earning about Nu. 15,000 to Nu. 16,000,” he said.
He explained that the honey was sold in Bumthang, but production dropped this year due to frequent rainfall and colder weather. “This time, I could earn only Nu. 8,000 to Nu. 10,000. Because of the smaller quantity, we could only sell honey within the country rather than exporting it,” he said.

According to him, some buyers sought honey for medicinal purposes, for which he sold it at Nu. 800 to Nu. 1,000 per bottle. Despite reduced yields, Gurung said beekeeping still supports his household. “I produce honey every year, and while I haven’t faced any serious challenges so far, weather conditions often affect the bees. At times it rains heavily, and at other times the sun is too hot, which impacts honey production,” he said. Although honey production is mainly centered in Jangcholing, he added that his interest in the business motivated him to join the Jangcholing Beekeeping Group.

Chandra Ghaley, the Chief Dzongkhag Livestock Officer, said that the livestock sector is putting measures in place to further enhance beekeeping skills among farmers. “Interested farmers will also receive necessary inputs through a cost-sharing mechanism,” he said, adding that the aim is to encourage more households to take up modern beekeeping as a supplementary income source.

He noted that Samtse produced 11.5 metric tons of honey in 2025, which earned about Nu. 8.05 million in 2024. Data from the National Statistics Bureau shows the dzongkhag has more than 6,000 beehives, comprising both improved wooden hives and traditional log hives.

He added that last year, through the gewog budget, improved beehives were supplied to Dumtoe and Norgaygang Gewogs under a cost-sharing scheme. In collaboration with the agriculture sector, farmers were also supported with the provision of bee forages such as mustard and buckwheat seeds. Beekeeping groups were further assisted with packaging materials, including glass bottles, to improve marketing, maintain hygiene, and increase product value.
Wangchuk Lepcha, the Gup of Samtse Gewog, said farmers still face serious challenges. “There are very few flowering crops now because of wildlife conflict. Farmers have abandoned much of their farmland, leaving it fallow, so the gewog has not encouraged them to shift to beekeeping until this issue is resolved,” he said.

He stressed that without a permanent solution to human wildlife conflict, subsidies or training programs would have little effect. “Honey production contributes less to household income compared to other farming activities, as it depends heavily on environmental conditions and the number and quality of beehives,” he said.

Wangchuk also pointed out that the initial program did not generate significant income for farmers, and honey prices have fallen in the market. “So far, no agency or Non-Governmental Organization has come forward to support beekeeping, perhaps because they are fully aware of both the benefits and the challenges involved,” he added.
Am Raj Ghaley, a beekeeper from Jangcholing, said he first learned about apiculture when a livestock officer visited his village to share insights. “Since then, I have been undergoing training and practicing beekeeping for the past two years,” he said.

Seeing that modern hives yield more honey, he decided to adopt the method. “Compared to traditional hives, modern ones produce both better quantity and quality of honey,” he explained. However, he said the transition has challenges. Transferring bees from trees into hives is difficult, and other insects sometimes build nests inside the frames.
Despite this, he said honey production has become an important source of income. “It provides additional revenue to support my household,” he said, adding that he has also observed a slight increase in crop yields in the area, likely due to improved pollination.

At present, he sells honey locally because of limited production. “With increased yields in the future, we plan to expand sales beyond the dzongkhag,” he said. While he hopes to encourage others to take up beekeeping, he added that his priority is to first strengthen his own production and marketing before promoting it further.