Naogaon district is abuzz with activity as the current mustard season unfolds, bringing with it the promise of a significant honey harvest.
Along the golden stretches of mustard fields, 91 beekeepers have strategically placed 8,378 beehives, aiming to collect at least 100,000kgs of honey this season, as per the Department of Agriculture.
The beekeeping effort spans eight upazilas of the district. Naogaon Sadar leads with five beekeepers managing 615 hives, while Raninagar Upazila has one beekeeper with 10 hives.
Atrai Upazila boasts eight beekeepers and 545 hives, Dhamoirhat has two beekeepers overseeing 10 hives, and Sapahar Upazila stands out with 16 beekeepers managing 2,320 hives.
In Porsha, six beekeepers have set up 623 hives, Manda leads the pack with 50 beekeepers and 4,200 hives, and Niamatpur rounds it off with three beekeepers and 55 hives.
Among the dedicated beekeepers, Mohammad Zahir Mir and his nephew Mohammad Morshed Ali have set up 400 hives in Manda Upazila’s Gopalpur field.
Hailing from Kesharhat in Mohonpur Upazila, Rajshahi district, the duo harvests at least 3kgs of honey per hive every 5–6 days. Their yield is sold wholesale at Tk300 per kilogram to a business establishment in Rajshahi, though local retail buyers purchase it at Tk400 per kilogram.
Deputy Director of the Agriculture Department, Agriculturist Abul Kalam Azad, projects a total collection of 100,000kgs of honey this year, with a wholesale value exceeding Tk3 crore.
As of Sunday, the district has already seen 36,295kgs of honey harvested. The Agriculture Extension Department reports that mustard has been cultivated on 60,100 hectares of land this season.
Notably, the synergy between mustard farming and beekeeping is reaping dual benefits. Bees play a crucial role in pollination, boosting mustard yields by at least 10%, alongside enabling a multi-million-taka honey harvest.
Encouraged by these outcomes, the agriculture department is actively promoting beekeeping alongside mustard cultivation to amplify both yields and income opportunities.