The Beekeeping Revolution: A Win-Win for Bees and the Planet – Everything You Should Know
Beekeeping transcends honey collection, playing a pivotal role in nurturing a sustainable environment. With an emphasis on ethical sourcing, sealed comb honey, and a diverse array of honey types, the beekeeping industry is undergoing a transformative journey. This transformation not only benefits bees but also contributes to a healthier planet.
The potential for an increased per capita consumption of honey, driven by innovative applications like mead, demonstrates the industry’s promise for growth and prosperity. Beyond satisfying our palates, beekeeping promotes the adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices, reducing the reliance on harmful pesticides while enhancing crop pollination. We had an in-depth conversation with an expert to explore the multifaceted world of beekeeping, encompassing its ethical, ecological, and culinary dimensions.
Ethical Honey Sourcing: Why It Matters and How to Do It Right
Honey bees collect nectar and pollen from flowers to meet their nutritional needs. They store excess honey in the uppermost section of the hive, often referred to as the ‘super chamber’ or ‘honey chamber’ in commercial beekeeping setups. The lower part of the honeycomb serves as the area where the queen bee lays her eggs and is known as the ‘brood chamber.’ By using a super chamber, beekeepers can harvest surplus honey without disrupting the brood or taking honey essential for the bees’ sustenance. In Indian beekeeping, the use of supers was not widespread due to the associated additional inventory and investment requirements. However, we’ve made it a requirement for our beekeepers to source honey exclusively from supers. This practice of collecting honey from super chambers is what we define as ethical honey sourcing.
Unveiling Sealed Comb Honey: How It Differs from Prematurely Harvested Varieties
Floral nectar or honeydew typically contains around 80-87% moisture and complex sugars. Inside the honeybee’s gut, enzymes break down these sugars into simpler, sweeter forms. The honeybees further reduce the moisture content by repeatedly exposing this partially digested nectar to the air. Through this process, they transform the nectar into honey. When the moisture level reaches approximately 35%, the bees deposit this diluted honey droplet into a hexagonal cell within the honeycomb. They then fan the droplet to further reduce the moisture to a minimal concentration of 18-22%.
Once this moisture reduction is complete, and the cell is filled with honey, the bees seal it with wax to prevent the absorption of moisture from the surrounding air. This sealing marks the natural completion of honey formation. If honey is harvested before this sealing occurs, it often contains higher moisture levels and requires treatment to reduce it. Such honey is not considered raw or unprocessed and may not be at its best quality.
Exploring the Variety of Honey Types at Cerana and Their Origins
At Cerana Meads, we exclusively employ varietal honey in our meads to emphasize the rich diversity of aromas and tastes derived from different honey sources. For our Pomegranate Vanilla Mead, we source Lychee honey from orchards in Bihar. In our Jamun Mead and Yule Spice Mead, we utilize Jamun honey collected along the borders of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The Chenin Blanc Mead and Pinot Noir Mead feature multifloral honey gathered from the jungles of the Una region in Himachal Pradesh. Additionally, our Blue Pe Lavender Mead incorporates Mustard honey sourced from Rajasthan.
Enhancing Per Capita Honey Consumption to Foster Beekeeping Industry Growth
When considering the Ministry of Food Processing Industries’ mission, it becomes evident that a robust and dynamic food processing sector plays a pivotal role in several aspects. This includes reducing the wastage of perishable agricultural produce, extending the shelf life of food products, adding value to agricultural output, diversifying and commercializing agriculture, job creation, bolstering farmers’ income, and creating surpluses for the export of agro and processed foods.
In India, honey is traditionally perceived primarily as a medicinal ingredient, typically used with warm water for soothing a sore throat or mixed with bitter Ayurvedic churnas. However, by processing honey and incorporating it into various consumable products, we have the potential to increase its per capita consumption in the country. For instance, we can celebrate the diverse and flavorful qualities of local honeys by transforming them into meads, thereby easily achieving a per capita consumption boost by making mead a popular choice.
How Beekeeping Enhances Environmental Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Ecosystems
In some agricultural practices in India, the indiscriminate use of insecticides on crops has become a concerning issue. These practices can deter honeybees from visiting the crops, potentially leading to inadequate cross-pollination and negatively impacting crop yields. However, by educating farmers about the advantages of placing beeboxes near their farms during the flowering season, we can promote the adoption of less harmful, more organic pest control methods. This, in turn, results in less toxic crops and contributes to a more sustainable ecosystem.
