Planters must ensure bees are protected: Coffee Growers’ Assn president

Chikkamagaluru: Mudigere Coffee Growers' Association president BR Balakrishna has called on the planters to protect the honey bee population to safeguard the ecosystem. He addressed the gathering after inaugurating a beekeeping training workshop organised by the horticulture department at the Krushi Vijnana Kendra (KVK) in Mudigere.

According to Balakrishna, if the bee population is destroyed, it poses a threat to the entire ecosystem, and thus the planters must ensure bees are protected. The govt is providing several benefits under the agriculture and horticulture departments. These benefits should reach the farmers. To raise awareness about beekeeping among farmers in rural areas, programmes should be organised at the gram panchayat level, he said.

The govt provides beehives to interested farmers through subsidies, and farmers should take advantage of this, he advised.

Scientist at KVK, Suchitra Kumari, imparted technical training to the farmers and said, Beekeeping is a profitable venture with high demand. With proper awareness and practising scientific beekeeping, farmers can achieve higher yields and profits. Bees are delicate insects, and their management requires great care.

Horticulture and agricultural science centres have been working to raise awareness about this, and farmers should make use of these opportunities

Shweta, an officer from the Mudigere horticulture department, stated that bees play a crucial role in pollination. In coffee-growing areas, bees help achieve higher coffee yields.

Yatish Bettagere, general secretary of Krishika Samaja, directors PK Nagesh, Satish Kaduvalli, Poornesh G Hosalli, Jagannath Gowda U Hosalli, head of KVK Krishnamurthy, former Coffee Board member Balaraju, and horticulture department officer Ramaiah were present.