In Ramechhap, farmers have been increasingly attracted to beekeeping in recent times. Beekeeping is becoming an attractive business for farmers as it does not require much effort and trouble, provides good income, and does not face market problems.

Lal Bahadur Manandhar, a farmer from Lingedanda, Sunapati Rural Municipality-5, said that beekeeping is a business that provides good income with little effort. He has been involved in beekeeping for more than a decade by joining the Rupakot Beekeeping Farmers Group. Currently, he is personally registering the Sunapati Beekeeping Farm and running the business.

According to Manandhar, the group, of which he is the lead farmer, currently has about 1,500 beehives. The members of the group have been keeping 20 to 50 beehives.

The group is keeping bees of the Serana and Mellifera breeds. He informed that work is being done with the aim of developing the Khaniyapani area of ​​Sunapati Rural Municipality-5 as a beekeeping pocket area.

Manandhar currently has 60 beehives of the Serana and Mellifera breeds in his personal farm. Many farmers like him, who have been keeping bees in the traditional style, have taken modern beekeeping training from various organizations. Manandhar said that this has helped modernize the business.

According to him, the main seasons for honey production are Ashar and Kartik. Last year, he harvested 130 kg of honey twice. In Ashar this year, 70 kg of honey has been produced. Although 150 kg of honey was estimated to be produced in Kartik, Manandhar said that only 35 kg was produced after the Aringal damaged it.

The honey produced is easily sold at Rs 1,200 per kg from the place where it is harvested. Farmers say that beekeeping has given them an opportunity to become self-reliant along with income.

Dil Bahadur Achhami, 40, of Bhatauli, Manthali Municipality-7, has also been keeping bees around his house. Achhami, who is a social studies teacher at the Thanapati Secondary School in Puragaun, Manthali Municipality-9, is making good use of his free time outside of school hours to explore a future in beekeeping and agriculture.

He said that he started beekeeping along with fruit farming because it provides good income with less effort, does not have market problems, and can be easily combined with other agricultural professions.

According to Achhami, the number of farmers keeping bees in the village has been increasing recently. He said that there is no problem in selling the honey produced and the price is also satisfactory.

He said, 'There are many farmers keeping bees in the village now. There is no problem in selling the honey produced. The price of honey is also fair. I have also placed beehives around my house. Since it is in the initial stage, there are not many bees.'

Chandra Bahadur Manandhar of Manthali Municipality-1, Manthali has been active in the beekeeping business for the past one and a half decades. He has been keeping bees in various places around, including the district headquarters Manthali.

According to Manandhar, the number of farmers keeping bees in various areas of Sunapati Rural Municipality and Manthali Municipality in Ramechhap district has been increasing significantly in the last one decade. 'Recently, there has been an increase in interest in beekeeping,' he said, 'especially in Sunapati Rural Municipality and Manthali Municipality, the number of farmers keeping bees is increasing.'

Last year, he produced more than 300 kg of honey, and earned more than Rs 200,000 from the sale of beehives alone. So far this year, bees worth more than Rs 200,000 have been sold, and the total income, including honey production and beehive sales, is expected to exceed Rs 1 million, Manandhar said.