Beekeepers Oppose Honey Import Decision

The Federation of Nepal Beekeepers has criticised the government’s decision to allow honey imports, warning that the move will worsen the market crisis already facing domestic producers.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in September 2025 approved honey imports for two multinational companies — Dabur Nepal Pvt. Ltd. and Patanjali Nepal — under a quota for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025/26. Dabur Nepal has been cleared to import 125 tonnes, while Patanjali Nepal may import 40 tonnes.

Outgoing federation chair Shiva Prasad Sharma Paudel said on Thursday, 27 November, that the decision has angered honey farmers across the country. Speaking at a press meet in Bharatpur, Chitwan, he said beekeepers are already struggling to sell their harvest.

Paudel argued the government should instead step in as a bulk buyer. “The government must purchase at least half of total domestic production to stabilise the market,” he said.

Production Data Highlights Rising Capacity

The federation released updated figures on the scale of commercial beekeeping in Nepal. According to the data, 2,175 commercial beekeepers manage 115,183 hives nationwide, producing an estimated 4,192 tonnes of honey annually.

Nepal could produce up to 30,000 tonnes of honey a year based on available floral resources, the federation noted. Current combined output from Apis mellifera and Apis cerana species is roughly 6,000 tonnes.

Chitwan and Dang remain the top honey-producing districts in Nepal. In Chitwan, 318 beekeepers manage 26,750 hives, with an expected output of 1,070 tonnes, while Dang’s 350 beekeepers maintain 26,000 hives, producing around 1,040 tonnes, according to the federation. Morang has 300 beekeepers with 6,500 hives, expected to yield 226 tonnes, and Jhapa’s 500 beekeepers manage 8,000 hives, projecting 280 tonnes of honey.

Other key honey-producing districts include Pyuthan, Sarlahi, Makawanpur, and Kapilvastu. Commercial-scale beekeeping is now practiced in more than 30 districts. Only farmers with more than 10 hives are formally registered, meaning many small-scale beekeepers remain uncounted.

Beekeepers have long demanded a ban on honey imports, arguing that domestic production is ample. The government initially halted imports in early 2024. But by December, Dabur Nepal and other multinational firms petitioned the ministry to lift the ban, claiming local honey was unsuitable as a raw material due to variations in quality and pricing.

(With inputs from RSS)