Ludhiana: Beekeepers participating in the Kisan Mela have reported severe production losses ranging between 20% and 50% due to an escalating small hive beetle infestation across Punjab, forcing prices up by as much as 50%.Apiarists warned of a growing crisis since the invasive beetle arrived over the past year, noting that standard box-cleaning protocols and expert training have failed to halt hive destruction, damaging both honey yield and quality.Karam Singh, an Amritsar-based beekeeper with 1,200 hives, reported losing 350 boxes to the pest. “The quantity and quality of honey has been affected. I used to get about 1,600 buckets of honey, but this year it was only about 290 buckets,” he said.Similarly, Vikramjit Singh from Samrala stated that 150 of his 500 boxes were rendered useless, while Bathinda-based migratory beekeeper Gurpiar Singh reported a 40% production drop. Gurpiar noted that the sector is caught in a double squeeze, facing US export tariffs alongside domestic pest losses.To recover costs, beekeepers have raised retail prices by 30% to 50%. Karam Singh noted that his Kashmir-sourced Acacia honey price jumped from ₹800 to ₹2,000 per kg due to diminished supply.Facing long-term financial uncertainty, some apiarists are diversifying into alternative crops. “I have read that wherever there was an attack of small hive beetles, those countries suffered heavy losses. So to compensate for the loss of income from honey, I have also started sowing turmeric, as well as mustard oil,” said beekeeper Gurpreet Singh.
