Economic analysis of beekeeping as supplementary enterprise for small and marginal farmers

Abstract:

Imagine a marginal farmer in Kashmir earning an extra ₹20,000 per year from ten wooden boxes tucked under an apple tree. That scenario is not hypothetical — it already happens, though on a smaller scale than it could. This research examined the economic viability of beekeeping as a supplementary enterprise for small and marginal farmers in the Kashmir Valley. Data were collected from 180 bee-keeping households across three districts (Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama) during 2022-23 through structured interviews. Costs, returns, and benefit-cost ratios (BCR) were computed for three farm-size categories. The average BCR was 2.47 for marginal farmers (<1 ha) and 2.31 for small farmers (1-2 ha), indicating that every rupee invested returned more than two rupees in honey and allied products. Initial investment for a 10-colony unit averaged ₹12,400-18,600, recoverable within 1.3-1.6 years. Beekeeping raised total household farm income by 14.7-19.3%. These findings support policy measures that extend subsidised colony kits and technical training to smallholders in horticulture-rich zones.