Nepal’s blossoming honey industry hits stormy weather

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Heavy rain, prolonged drought and harsher winters have thrown off flowering seasons and destroyed blossoms across Nepal over the past decade, decimating the country’s honey supply

A hunter seen harvesting honey from the cliffs, hanging on the rope ladder in Nepal. Picture: GETTY IMAGES/SOPA IMAGES/SUNIL PRADHAN

As he walked through his apiary inspecting his hives with their empty honeycombs, the beekeeper said he used to extract more than 40kg of honey per hive each year. But in 2021, his insects produced less than half of that. “My beekeeping was growing. I was earning well by selling honey and expected 2021 would have been even better, but the heavy rain in monsoon [season] and October ruined all my dreams,” he said.

Dileshwor Gurung, a beekeeper from Lamjung district in central Nepal, said the spring of 2019 was so hot and dry that thousands of bees in his 53 hives died. Chitwan beekeeper Ram Prasad Poudel said the long dry spells have attracted mites, which have infested his hives, while he has also seen more fungal disease on his mustard plants.

“This year, I have received many complaints from beekeepers across the country that they have suffered a high rate of bee deaths,” he added.

 

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