CHAPTER - 7 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION

Transcription

1 CHAPTER - 7 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION 196

2 INTRODUCTION Bee- keeping is an allied activity in Agriculture. Bee keeping is mainly carried out by farmers and other workers who generally take part in agricultural operation. Bee- keeping refers to the domestication of the honey bee for the purpose of obtaining honey and other useful products, such as pollen and royal jelly. Bee keeping is a low cost technology with high potentials of economic returns. Bee keeping can be taken up at both household and commercial level to generate additional income and provide employment opportunity to many people. It is an important work for the weaker sections of the society. Bee keeping business is a very profitable industry. Many Bee keepers earn more than Rs 2 lakhs per year. Hence Bee keeping is considered as an important industry. And the profile of kanyakumari District is analysed here. The study of marketing of honey in Kanyakumari District is undertaken to find out the Problems and prospects in honey marketing. A brief outline of the study is stated in this chapter. SUMMARY OF THE STUDY The first chapter deals with the introduction, statement of the problem, review of related studies, scope of the study, objectives of the study, method of data collection, tools for analysis and limitations of the study. The second chapter gives a profile of Kanyakumari District. The third chapter examines the role and importance of Honey rates both inside and outside the state. 197

3 The Fourth chapter deals with the production process and their contribution to the national economy. The fifth chapter will analyses the role and function of various Honey agencies functioning in and around Kanyakumari District. The Sixth chapter aims at analyzing the marketing of Honey in Kanyakumary District in detail and the various strategies followed by the different institutions dealing with honey as a produce of their trading activity. The seventh chapter gives the Summary of conclusions and suggestions for future development. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS The majority of the beekeepers live in two of the four taluks in Kanyakumari District, Vilavancode and kalkulam. Of these, most of them have their residence in Arumanai. Of those who are engaged in this industry most of them are rather old, revealing how the industry is shunned by the present day youth. 198

4 1. Another aspect of the bee keeping industry is the dominance of men as compared to women who form a little more than three percent. The marital status of those engaged in this industry shows that 90 percent of them are married, again revealing that the youth are no longer attracted by this industry. As far as the religious affiliation of the beekeepers is concerned, it was found that the majority belong to Christianity. In fact their number is three times higher than Hindus. 2. A look at the educational qualification of people in this industry reveals that majority of them completed up to high school. The number of them who completed graduation was negligible. 3. The joint Family has lost its sheen for the bee-keepers. Most of the Christians prefer to have single or nucleus family. This is reflected in the family systems of the bee keepers. 4. As regards the experience of the people in the industry, the study shows that about four percent had the maximum experience. One can infer form this that the more experience. the people had, the less number of them continued in this industry. The majority of the people had about 100to 200 colonies. Only a very small percentage had above 500 colonies. As this industry requires labourers to do different types of work, bee keepers have to seek out side help. The majority of them employed 2 to 3 workers. The salary was not very attractive. More than 40 % paid salary up to A good number of them get a good salary. But those who got salary up to Rs 15,000 were very few. 5. Like any other industry this too requires investment. It is inferred from the people interviewed that the majority invested up to Rs. 2,50,000.Hardly 10 % invested up to Rs. 4,00,000. More than 70 % engaged in this industry got a profit ranging from Rs to Rs The more money they invested the more profit they earned. Yet they did not save much, Bee- keepers income for the year

5 shows that the majority of them could get income ranging from Rs to Rs Expenditure was also high and the majority spent between Rs and Rs Most of them preferred multi channels such as cooperative societies, retail shops and export for distribution of their products. Most of the respondents were highly satisfied with the income from the industry. Again most of them were highly satisfied with their job. 1. The female do not prefer the honey industry. 2. More than ninety six percent of the Bee keepers are male. 3. Many Bee keepers feel that bee keeping industry is highly expensive. 4. Most of the bee keepers are in single family. 5. Only four Bee keepers owned more than five hundred colonies. 6. Most of the Bee keepers are given Rs to 5000 salary in this industry. 7. Most of the Bee keepers invest more than two lakhs rupees in this industry. 8. Bee keepers like to invest more amount into this industry. 9. Most of the Bee keepers earn profit between Rs and Even though some Bee keepers have invested a small amount their savings are more. 11. More than twenty six percent of Bee keepers are saving Rs per year. 12. Many people do not know the nutritious value of honey because of inadequate advertisement 13. Honey seasons are February, March, April in Kanyakumari District. 14. Every year the Bee keepers and Bee colonies may increase or decrease. 15. The Co operative Societies did not purchase the entire honey and did not give fair price for honey. 200

6 16. The major problem faced by the Bee keepers is that the honey container is not allowed in Corporation buses. 17. Members joining the co operative are increasing year by year. From this we know that the value of honey is increased every year. 18. Price of honey is increasing year by year. 19. Grading laboratory is used to find out whether the honey is pure or not. 20. More than two percent of the respondents distribute their honey to Co operative Societies Householders, Local market and retail shops. 21. More than 50%percent of the respondents were highly satisfied with their income. 22. Most of the respondents were highly satisfied with their job. 23. Most of the respondents were highly satisfied as to recommend this job to other people. 24. Middle aged people are engaged in bee keeping 201

7 SUGGESTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT:- 1. Loans may be provided to private honey dealers, so that they can purchase the honey from the bee keepers. 2. Government should reduce the tax in the sale of honey from bee keepers. 3. Societies should make arrangements to buy honey from non members also. 4. The societies should give fair price to the honey. 5. Societies should purchase the entire honey from Bee keepers. 6. To protect the industry honey, go downs and storage facilities should be provided. 7. If any loss is incurred by the Bee- keeping industry, Government should provide financial help. 8. Transport facilities should be provided to the Bee-keepers in remote areas. SUGGESTIONS TO THE BEE KEEPERS:- 1. Adequate advertisement should be given to propagate the nutritious value of honey. 2. In order to increase the sale and minimize the cost of production each Bee keeper should own more Beehives. 3. Bee - keepers should shift the hives from one place to another according to the availability of honey. 4. The colonies should be migrated to the place where there is crop rotation in the dearth season. 202

8 CONCLUSION Bee keeping is one of the profitable industries. Bulk of the apiary honey is produced in Kanyakumari District when compared to other district in Tamil Nadu. It is a low cost technology and can earn more return to the business. They give employment opportunities to other people and it is also an additional income to the Bee keepers. If the Government can find out the problems of Bee keepers and take necessary steps to overcome their problems this industry will flourish. If the suggestions are properly executed by the Bee keepers and the State Government, the Bee keeping industry will have a bright future. Honey, the sweetest gift of nature, is good for health. Comb honey extracted honey, liquid honey and chunk honey are the different kinds of honey available. Honey has the quality of hygroscopic. It is a carbohydrate material. Citric and gluconic acids are present. It can also have the best of a few vitamins in measurable quantities. Honey can be stored for a considerable length of time. Heating can prevent fermentation. It is safer to store it in glass vessels and not in metal containers. Honey is considered to be the most nutritious food available. It is indeed the most complete natural food. The Colour of honey depends on the plant sources ranging from water white to dark. Honey has multiple uses. With milk, honey forms a perfect food. Honey is also added to drinks like tea, coffee or milk. Marthandam Bee keepers society purchased the honey and sold it after processing. Kanyakumari district produces about 10 lakh Kg of Honey. 203

9 Marthandam Bee keepers society, registered in 1937, aims at improving the Bee- keeping industry and improving the economic condition of those who are engaged in this industry. More than individuals are employed. The Thamilnadu Khadi and village Industries Board helped the society with a loan of Rs. 15,84,650. In order to attain the objective of improving the industry and economic conditions of those who are involved in it, the society has taken many measures. The young men Christian Association has played a key role in helping bee keeping industry. It was George Williams who founded the YMCA. Its model hives became quite popular. During summer Marthandam YMCA conducts a two month course on bee keeping. After independence the Government of India took up the development of beekeeping,. The all India co-operated project on honey bee research and training was launched in A number of voluntary organizations entered the field. The YMCA of Marthandam in Kanya Kumari District took up the task of training persons in bee keeping. Tamilnadu Khadhi and village industries commission did a lot for developing the industry. The federation of bee keepers Association and the Rubber board are also engaged in promoting the bee keeping industry. Honey production is seasonal. It should be processed and standardized to meet the domestic and international standards. It has an ever growing market in India and almost every household gets honey. A close look at the purchase and sales of honey by the Co-operative society at Martha dam shows how the sales reached its peak between 2000 and 2001 with Kg. Thiruvattatr beekeepers co-operative society, like home and industries. Honey has many medicinal properties. It plays an important role in Ayurvedic and in unani systems of medicine Honey can act as laxative, purify blood, and prevent cold cough and fever. It has proved to be useful to diabetic patients. 204

10 Honey has its place in religious festivities. Hindus, Christians and Jews use it in various religious activities. As regards industry honey helps in the preparation of food on commercial line. Honey has many marketing channels like farmers markets or local direct sales, at road side- stalls, grocery stores, supermarkets etc Grading of honey is a must and it is done under Agmark as per honey grading rules formulated in