Buckwheat honey in Kargil opens new pathways towards rural livelihood

A Kargil-based agricultural institute has devised a new method to extract honey from buckwheat crops, opening new pathways towards sustainable agriculture and rural livelihood development According to an official, buckwheat honey extraction at School of Agriculture Science and Technology, Kargil Campus, University of Ladakh, was part of efforts to promote apiculture in the region.

In 2019, honey was extracted from alfalfa crop at the institute which was earlier named as Mountain Agriculture Research and Extension Station, Kargil.

''This year, the School of Agriculture Science and Technology, Kargil formulated a floral calendar and accordingly introduced bee colonies in synchronisation with floral period of alfalfa and buckwheat and thus able to extract honey from both the crops resulting in a significance development in apiculture as honey was extracted for the first time from buckwheat crop,'' an official of the institute said.

He said the buckwheat crop was sown on July 22 and later in synchronisation with the flowering of buckwheat crop, bee colonies were introduced from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir on August 24.

After a gap of one-and-a-half month, honey was extracted from these colonies marking a historic step, the official said, adding that the extraction of buckwheat honey has opened new pathways towards sustainable agriculture, rural livelihood development, and biodiversity conservation.

He said the unique altitude and climate of Kargil have given this honey a distinctive aroma and taste, setting it apart from other regional varieties and making a way for the untapped potential for high quality honey production from Kargil region.

The official said the institute is planning to expand more bee colonies in desirable villages, honey branding, and marketing and to promote buckwheat honey of Kargil as a unique GI-tagged product in the future.

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