The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) celebrated ‘World Bee Day 2026’ virtually on May 20 with KVIC Chairman, Manoj Kumar addressing KVIC offices, beekeepers, beneficiaries, scientists, students and employees across the country from New Delhi.
Chairman KVIC, Kumar said Prime Minister’s vision of transforming ‘White Revolution into Sweet Revolution’ has given new momentum to self-employment and self-reliance in villages. Today, he said that beekeeping has emerged as a powerful medium for strengthening agriculture, the environment and the rural economy. Under KVIC’s ‘Honey Mission’, nearly 2.5 lakh bee-boxes and bee colonies have been distributed across the country so far.
The Chairman further stated that the KVIC, under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, organized various programmes on ‘World Honey Bee Day-2026’ through virtual mode from its headquarters in Mumbai, to various states and divisional offices across the country and the ‘Honey Exhibition’ organized at CBRTI, Pune was also virtually inaugurated by the Chairman, KVIC.
The Chairman also said that at a time when the entire world is worried about the conservation of honeybees, India has taken positive initiatives in this direction, with major credit going to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Kumar mentioned that, under the ‘Honey Mission’, KVIC has distributed 246,099 bee-boxes and bee colonies across the country between the years 2017-18 and 2025-26, thereby enhancing honey production by 24,269 metric tonnes. In the year 2025-26, honey production reached an estimated 5,512 metric tonnes. Furthermore, beekeepers associated with KVIC exported honey worth approximately Rs.31 crore during the financial year 2025-26. The key destinations for honey exports include numerous countries such as USA, Canada, UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Singapore, Australia, Qatar, and the Republic of Korea, reflecting the growing global acceptance of Indian honey.
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Kumar appealed that beekeeping should not be viewed merely as a means of honey production but as a powerful tool for nature conservation, agricultural growth and rural prosperity. He called upon everyone to take a pledge on World Honey Bee Day to protect honeybees, connect more people with beekeeping and take the Prime Minister’s “Sweet Revolution” to every village in the country.
During the programme, participants from different parts of the country shared their experiences and success stories related to beekeeping through digital platforms. The program was attended by the Joint Chief Executive Officer of KVIC, other officials and employees, experts from various fields, representatives of Khadi institutions, artisans, trainees, bank representatives, and state government officials. The event was a strong example of KVIC’s continuous efforts towards building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. In line with this year’s World Honey Bee Day theme — “Bee Together for People and the Planet” — the programmes highlighted the important role of honeybees in environmental conservation, agricultural productivity and strengthening biodiversity.
