Current Issue

Traditional (log and wall hives) and modern movable frame hives were used to manage bees for honey production (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). A. cerana beekeepers in the south keep traditional and modern hives around their houses and farm sheds to trap bees during the spring season. Some farmers also keep provision along the periphery walls of their houses which are known as wall hives. When they acquired the knowledge on modern moveable frame hive management, some of those colonies from the traditional hives are transferred to the moveable frame hive for better management and production. One study found that 37% of the bee colonies in the southern Bhutan are managed in modern hive and the figure is increasing as farmers are getting more access to modern beekeeping tools and equipment (Tamang, 2007; CIMOD, 2017).

Fig. 1. 
Types of traditional hives used for A. cerana beekeeping in the south. Source: Photos from the field extension agent.

Fig. 2. 
Modern movable frame hives kept for A. cerana (A) and A. mellifera (B) rearing in Samtse and Bumthang Source: Photos from the farmers in Bumthang and Samtse.

The A. mellifera beekeepers in east central and western regions migrate their colonies within their districts during the nectar flow and feed table sugar syrup during dearth period, whereas in the south beekeepers neither migrate nor feed their colonies (BPV, 2017). A. mellifera beekeepers use modern tools and equipment along the production chain, but among A. cerana beekeeping communities such practice is improving and is not accessible to all (BPV, 2017; ICIMOD, 2017). Hive products such as pollen, royal jelly and bee venom are rarely harvested because of small scale operation focusing mainly for honey production. All the A. mellifera beekeepers use comb foundation sheet in moveable frame while A. cerana beekeepers hardly use them. With increasing demand for Bhutanese honey in the domestic and international markets, Non-Government Organizations such as One Geog One Product project, Bio-Bhutan and SAVAH are also supporting rural beekeepers to enhance the local honey production in the country through material and financial inputs (BPV, 2017; ICIMOD, 2017; Dawa, 2020).

The main hive product harvested from the traditional or modern hives is honey (Fig. 3). Few beekeepers in the east central and western regions ferment the honey wine and make candles from locally processed bee wax. (Fig. 4). Honey is highly valued and one of the most expensive farm products because of its importance in the socio-cultural and traditional lifestyle of Bhutan (ICIMOD, 2017; Dawa, 2020; Sherma, 2021). Honey from three managed honey bee species; A. mellifera, A. cerana and Trigona species are sold in Bhutanese market besides the imported ones.

Fig. 3. 
Raw honey extracted and packed with labeling (A) and raw honey extracted traditionally by squeezing the honey comb (B). Source: Photos from BPV, 2017 and ICIMOD, 2017.

Fig. 4. 
Locally made candles (A) and honey wine (B) from A. cerana bee wax and honey. Source: Photos from farmers of Samtse.

The honey production data of the past five years (2016-2020) reveals that there was continuous increase in honey production, but except in 2020 due to the major loss of bee colonies in Bumthang district in 2019 (DoL, 2016 to 2020). As the domestic production is not sufficient for the growing market demand, the quantity almost equal to the annual production is imported from India (BTS, 2016-2020) while small quantity was exported (Table 1). The honey production differs among the regions. For stance, the production trend for the last five years (2016-2020) shows that the highest amount of honey was produced from the east central region followed by west central, western and eastern region (Fig. 5) (DoL, 2016-2020). The regional honey production differences exist because of the variations in bee species, the number of managed colonies and the availability of bee forages.

Fig. 5. 
Regional honey production over the last five years 2016-2020. Source: DoL, 2016 to 2020.

Basically, the honey is harvested two times a year. The first and the major harvest is done between April and May in the A. cerana rearing areas in south while for A. mellifera beekeepers it happens between June and July. The second season is more applicable in the south where there is availability of honey bee forage throughout the year; cultivated and wild (ICIMOD, 2017; BPV, 2017; Dawa, 2020). However, few A. mellifera beekeepers do manage their hive for second honey harvest within September to October in Bumthang and Haa districts. A single A. mellifera colony can produce 50 kg of honey annually while a single A. cerana colony can produce 1.7 kg and 5.1 kg per year from traditional and modern hives respectively (BPV 2017; ICIMOD, 2017).

Although Bhutan has very rich floral diversity and conducive government policies for the sustainable utilization of natural resources, there are many unexplored opportunities about managed beekeeping and thus, the inadequate information on beekeeping development.

Like elsewhere, there are different honey marketing channels in Bhutan. Some of the A. cerana and Trigona species (stingless bee) honey producers supply their product in bulk to One Geog One Product project, Bio-Bhutan and SAVAH Bhutan who do value addition to sell from their sales outlets in towns and cities (ICIMOD, 2017; BPV, 2017). Some beekeepers prefer to sale their products in village markets and others have their regular middlemen who come to collect the honey from their house. For the past five years OGOP has been the key project helping the farmers to market their farm products where honey is one of the most marketed products.

The prices of the honey depend mainly upon the bee species from which the honey is harvested. Generally, stingless bee honey is the most expensive costing Nu. 5000 (UD $ 63.5) to 7000 (US $ 88.9)/kg in local and city markets followed by A. cerana honey costing Nu.550 (US $ 6.9) to Nu.1410 (US $ 17.9)/kg as it flows from producers to retailers in city markets. Regarding A. mellifera honey, Beekeeping Cooperatives of Bhutan is the largest wholesaler who pays Nu.550 (US $ 6.9)/kg to the cooperative members and supply to retailers at Nu.700 (US $ 8.9) /kg who sells at Nu.1000 (US $ 12.9) /kg (BPV, 2017; ICIMOD, 2017).

Proper packaging and labeling of honey products are the first impression to draw customers’ attention towards the products. Honey packaging has improved since 2007 after the introduction of modern hive technology but in the south few beekeepers still reuse the alcohol plastic bottles to pack the locally produced honey (ICIMOD, 2017).

About 99% of honey produced by the country is consumed in the domestic market while small quantity is exported mainly to Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam (BPV, 2017). Annually huge quantity of honey is imported from India to meet the production deficit in the country. Dabur company honey from India takes the maximum market share because it costs Nu.380 (US $ 4.8)/kg which is cheaper than the Bhutanese honey (ICIMOD, 2017).

Availability of different honey bee species helps to maintain the healthy and rich diversity of plants and animals through their pollination service besides providing the direct products from hive (Ahmad et al., 2007; Partap, 2011; Abrol, 2012; Rogers, et al., 2014). One study in Bhutan found that there are 12 species of bees and 22 species of wasps within the altitude range of 1,000 to 3,000 meters above sea level (Tenzin and Katel, 2019). Three groups of species; A. cerana, A. mellifera and Trigona species are managed in the traditional and modern hives while A. laboriosa, A. dorsata and A. florea exist in wild state. The existence of rich honey bee’s diversity in the country shows the considerable biological materials for future beekeeping research and development in Bhutan.

Honey bees and plant species are interdependent to each other for their growth and development. Honey bees help to maintain healthy plants and trees population which provide food and shelter for animals (Bradbear, 2009). There are several floral types for beekeeping in Bhutan, but it is not documented (Sivaram, 2012). Some of the common bee flora found in Bhutan are; mustard (Brassica nigra), orange (Citrus sinensis), white clover (Trifolium repens), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), dandelions (Taraxacum officinale), Malabar silk-cotton tree (Bombax ceiba), Himalayan coral tree (Erythrina arborescens) and chinquapin (Castaonopsis tribuloides).

Basic infrastructure including human resources are keys to accelerate and sustain beekeeping industry. Currently, the beekeeping unit under NHRDC, Bumthang facilitates research and development of beekeeping program in collaboration with regional and district stakeholders including NGOs. However, the Centre is expected to initiate the genetic up-gradation of the existing native honey bee stock to produce the superior quality bee colonies (DoL, 2020).

Guided by the Buddhist philosophy of co-existence in harmony with nature, honey bee has very special place in Bhutanese way of life. Generally, the feral honey bee nests built about the human settlements and structures are not disturbed for honey or wax by people. In fact, the sight of honey bee nest is regarded as sign of good luck and boon for the agricultural production of the community (ICIMOD, 2017). This belief system has created a favorable condition for honey bee to thrive freely in the nature with minimum human disturbance.

Towards the south, the Hindu communities have strong reverence for honey bees because of the importance of honey in their culture. In Hindu cultural practice, honey is one of the indispensable ingredients of elixir (Sherma, 2021), besides it is also regarded as super food and vital ingredient of rural folk medicine preparations for illness such as cough and cold, stomach ulcer, general weakness, minor wounds and asthma (Tamang, 2007a).

Honey bee produces low volume-high value products with long shelf life (Partap and Verma, 1998). The versatility of the modern moveable frame hive to manage honey bees for the varieties of hive products like honey, bee wax, royal jelly, pollen, propolis, bee venom has allowed beekeepers to produce the desired products and earn income. For Bhutanese beekeepers, beekeeping is a part-time job supported by other farm activities (ICIMOD, 2017). According to BPV (2017), a single A. cerana and A. mellifera hive can generate net profit of Nu.2,805 (US $ 35.96) and Nu.6,450 (US $ 82.69) per year respectively. According to DoL (2016-2020), the honey production income over the last five years shows that east central region makes maximum income of Nu.120.25 million (US $ 1,541.667) followed by west central with Nu.30.95 million (US $ 396,794), western with Nu.29.6 million (US $ 379, 487.2) and eastern region with Nu.2.85 million (US $ 36,538.46) respectively.

Besides income from honey production, introduction of modern technology has created the off-farm earning opportunities for the local artisans through the supply of moveable frame hive sets and other basic beekeeping tools, and equipment made by themselves (BPV, 2017). Essentially, managed beekeeping has provided the employment and income to the poor section of the societies in the country.

The irreplaceable biological inputs from the honey bees for the sustainability of natural flora and fauna cannot be over emphasized. Besides, providing the direct hive products for human wants, honey bees are unfailing partner of agriculturist to enhance the quality and quantity of crops and naturalist to maintain the diversity of plants and animals in the nature (Brown and Paxton, 2009; Sharma and Abrol, 2014; Chantawannakul et al., 2018). A symbiotic relation between honey bee and floral species have indirectly help to create the social fences of the beekeepers to protect the local forest resources in Bhutan as flower bearing plants and trees are an important source of the nectar for honey bees.

Modern beekeeping technology is nascent in Bhutan and important requirements like scientific laboratory, subject matter specialist and commodity Centre are needed to provide better and more beekeeping service to the people (MoAF, 2020; NHRDC, 2020). Although the country is gifted with several honey bee species, desired level of development could not be achieved due to the absence of required scientific facilities with competent man power.

Nest abandoning of the honey bee happens due to multiple factors including lack of food (nectar and pollen), pest and diseases, unsuitable weather conditions, improper handling techniques, and natural calamities (Hepburn, 2011). Among the three managed bee species in Bhutan, absconding habits is more problem in A. cerana especially when the colonies are transferred to the modern moveable frame hive from the traditional ones. This is the main drawback of A. cerana management using modern hive in Bhutan (ICIMOD, 2017; Dawa, 2020). Similar problems were observed in Nepal and western Uganda (Thapa, 2003; Mujuni et al., 2012).

Introduction of A. mellifera colonies in order to maximize the hive production has led to the transmission of pest and parasites from A. cerana to A. mellifera and vice versa in Asia (Rosenkranz et al., 2010 in Chantawannakul et al., 2016). In Bhutan, black and red ants, cockroach, drongos (Dicurus spp.), hive beetles (Aethina tumida), greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) and smaller wax moth (Achroia grisella), hornets and wasps (Vespa spp.) and bears are the common pest and predators (Tamang, 2007). Eight species and sub-species of the genius Vespa are recorded in Bhutan (Dorji et al., 2017). In the beginning of 2020, about 60% A. mellifera colonies had died in Bumthang and the cause was suspected to nosema disease because of the presence of dried white and brown fecal spots around the hive entrance. But confirmatory test could not be made due to lack of laboratory facility for beekeeping program. Although varroa mites and brood diseases such as American foul brood, European foul brood, sacbrood virus are causes of honey bee mortality around the world, these diseases are not noticed in Bhutan which could be due to the lack of honeybee disease experts and honeybee laboratory to test honeybee diseases.

Use of unauthorized agricultural chemicals is not allowed by the agriculture sector in Bhutan. But beekeepers doubt that the use of chemicals is not completely absent. Agrochemicals are easily available in the local markets of India and Bhutan border towns from where the Bhutanese farmers can purchase for use. Persistent use of agricultural chemicals in the mountain farming was found to destroy the existence of natural pollinators including honeybees.

All the places on the earth are affected by the impacts of climate change and Bhutan is no acceptation. Physical manifestations of climate change like unpredictable weather patterns and occurrence of more pest and diseases in farms are already happening in Bhutan (Katwal et al., 2015). In 2020, A. mellifara beekeepers in Bumthang lost about 60% their productive colonies due to the unforeseen weather condition for which the beekeepers failed to manage their hive. In the south, the famers complain about the mass attack of their A. cerana hives by ants that were not seen before because of which many of their colonies had absconded the hive.