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| State / UT | Production |
|---|---|
| Jammu & Kashmir | 3.14 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 6.59 |
| Punjab | 20.60 |
| Uttarakhand | 3.32 |
| Haryana | 5.77 |
| Rajasthan | 13.39 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 25.03 |
| Bihar | 18.03 |
| West Bengal | 23.69 |
| Jharkhand | 1.87 |
| Odisha | 1.87 |
| Chhattisgarh | 1.24 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 2.83 |
| Gujarat | 0.94 |
| Maharashtra | 2.16 |
| Telangana | 1.03 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 2.16 |
| Karnataka | 2.52 |
| Tamil Nadu | 2.58 |
| Kerala | 2.32 |
| Goa | 0.01 |
| Puducherry | 0.30 |
| Assam | 1.65 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 0.21 |
| Sikkim | 0.67 |
| Meghalaya | 0.33 |
| Tripura | 0.26 |
| Mizoram | 0.41 |
| Manipur | 0.52 |
| Nagaland | 0.82 |
146.26 Thousand Metric Tonnes
According to the latest official data released for the financial year 2023–24, India’s total honey production has reached 146.26 thousand metric tonnes. This data has been published through Agri Exchange by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
The report clearly highlights that honey production in India has transformed from a traditional agricultural activity into a rapidly expanding agro-based industry with strong export potential. This shift reflects growing awareness, improved beekeeping practices, and increasing demand for natural and organic products both in domestic and international markets.
In terms of state-wise performance, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the largest honey-producing state in the country for 2023–24. It is followed by West Bengal in the second position and Punjab in the third. These three leading states together contribute a significant share of India’s total honey production.
The data further indicates that North and East India dominate the honey production sector, showing a strong regional concentration of apiculture activities in these parts of the country. Favorable climatic conditions, rich floral diversity, and increasing support for beekeeping have played a major role in strengthening honey production in these regions.
Overall, India’s honey production sector continues to show strong growth, reinforcing its importance as a key component of the country’s agricultural and export economy.
Uttar Pradesh has emerged as India’s largest honey-producing state, recording a total production of 25.03 thousand metric tonnes. This accounts for more than 17 percent of the country’s total honey output, making the state the leading contributor at the national level.
The remarkable growth in honey production is the result of several key factors. The fertile Gangetic plains provide ideal conditions for large-scale mustard cultivation, which serves as a major source of nectar for honeybees. Additionally, extensive litchi belts and the presence of a wide variety of horticultural crops further support continuous and large-scale beekeeping activities. The increasing adoption of migratory beekeeping practices has also played a significant role in improving productivity and ensuring year-round nectar availability.
Uttar Pradesh has developed a strong and well-organized support system for the honey industry. This includes a wide network of honey processing units, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and export-oriented enterprises. This integrated infrastructure has strengthened the entire value chain—from production and processing to marketing and export—making the state a national leader in honey production.
West Bengal and Punjab have emerged as two of the leading honey-producing states in India, securing the second and third positions respectively. Their strong performances reflect favorable ecological conditions, advanced agricultural practices, and effective community participation in the apiculture sector.
West Bengal ranks second in the country with a honey production of 23.69 thousand metric tonnes. The state’s success is largely attributed to its rich ecological diversity, particularly the Sundarbans mangrove forests, fertile deltaic soils, and extensive rice–mustard cropping systems that provide abundant floral resources for honeybees. A significant factor behind West Bengal’s growth in honey production is the active participation of women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs), which have strengthened honey processing, packaging, and marketing activities. This involvement has not only boosted production levels but also enhanced rural employment and livelihoods.
Punjab occupies the third position in India with a honey production of 20.60 thousand metric tonnes. The state’s advantage lies in its intensive and well-managed agricultural system, especially the large-scale cultivation of mustard, sunflower, and a variety of horticultural crops that support beekeeping. Punjab has also developed a strong cluster-based beekeeping model and commercial pollination services, which have significantly improved productivity, efficiency, and income generation for beekeepers.
In conclusion, both West Bengal and Punjab play a vital role in India’s honey production. Their success highlights the importance of ecological resources, scientific agricultural practices, and organized community participation in strengthening the apiculture sector and promoting sustainable rural development.
This report highlights the contribution of Bihar and Rajasthan to India’s honey production and their significance among the top honey-producing states in the country.
Bihar records a honey production of 18.03 thousand metric tonnes, making it a prominent contributor to the national output. The state is especially renowned for its premium-quality Litchi honey, which is primarily produced in the Muzaffarpur region. Honey production in Bihar has emerged as a vital supplementary source of income for small farmers and landless households, strengthening rural livelihoods and supporting agricultural sustainability.
Rajasthan produces 13.39 thousand metric tonnes of honey annually. Despite its arid climatic conditions, the state has successfully established itself as a major honey producer due to its distinct desert flora. The desert honey and medicinal honey sourced from Rajasthan are gaining increasing recognition and demand in niche markets, reflecting the growing commercial value of the state’s honey sector.
Together with three other leading states, Bihar and Rajasthan contribute significantly to India’s honey industry, with the top five states accounting for nearly 70% of the country’s total honey production. This highlights the crucial role these states play in sustaining and expanding India’s apiculture sector.
North and East India are the leading contributors to the country’s honey production. North India records an output of 77.84 thousand metric tonnes, while East India produces 45.46 thousand metric tonnes. Together, these two regions account for more than 84% of India’s total honey production.
This dominance is mainly due to fertile soil conditions, diversified cropping patterns, rich forest resources, and the rapid adoption of scientific beekeeping practices across these regions.
Honey production in India shows significant regional variation, with South India, North-East India, and the combined regions of West and Central India contributing differing shares to the national output.
South India is one of the major contributors, producing approximately 10.91 thousand metric tonnes of honey. This production is distributed across the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Puducherry. The region benefits from diverse floral resources and a favorable climate that supports beekeeping activities.
North-East India contributes around 4.87 thousand metric tonnes of honey. The states involved in this production include Assam, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh. Despite relatively lower production compared to South India, the region is known for its rich forest resources and unique varieties of honey.
The combined regions of West and Central India account for approximately 7% of total honey production. This includes the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa. These areas currently have a smaller share in national production.
Although the present level of honey production in these regions is comparatively low, experts strongly believe that organic, forest-based, tribal, and medicinal honey from these areas possesses the highest future growth potential due to increasing consumer demand for natural and health-oriented products.
Beekeeping is emerging as an important and sustainable additional income source for farmers in rural India. With increasing support from government initiatives and the rising demand for natural and organic food products, beekeeping has become a profitable agricultural activity that requires relatively low investment while offering significant financial and environmental benefits.
A small-scale farmer maintaining around 10 to 20 bee colonies can earn an estimated additional annual income ranging from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹4 lakh. This income is mainly generated through the sale of honey and other bee-related products such as wax and pollen. Compared to many traditional farming activities, beekeeping offers high returns with minimal operational costs. Apart from direct financial benefits, beekeeping plays a vital role in enhancing agricultural productivity. The presence of bees improves pollination, which increases crop yields by approximately 20 to 30 percent. Better pollination also leads to improved quality of fruits, vegetables, and seeds, resulting in higher market value for farm produce.
The combined advantage of supplementary income and increased crop productivity makes beekeeping one of the most cost-effective and environmentally sustainable income-generating activities for farmers. It not only strengthens rural livelihoods but also supports biodiversity and long-term agricultural growth. Therefore, beekeeping can be considered a highly beneficial and sustainable practice for the future of Indian agriculture.
Indian honey is witnessing strong and growing demand in the international market. Large volumes of honey are being exported from India to major global destinations such as the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and several countries within the European Union. The demand is especially high for organic honey and mono-floral varieties. Some of the most popular types include mustard honey, litchi honey, jamun honey, eucalyptus honey, and forest honey. This trend reflects the increasing global awareness and preference for natural, pure, and specialty honey products.
Overall, the rising export volumes clearly indicate a positive growth trend for the Indian honey industry in the global marketplace. This growing international demand is creating new opportunities for Indian honey producers and exporters.
India’s honey production is projected to experience significant growth in the coming years, according to agriculture and trade experts. Based on current trends, the country’s total honey output is expected to soon exceed 200 thousand metric tonnes, marking a major milestone for the sector. This steady rise in production is anticipated to further strengthen India’s position in the global honey market. With sustained growth, experts predict that India could soon rank among the top three honey-exporting countries in the world.
The positive outlook for the honey industry is driven by the rapid expansion of the beekeeping sector, improvements in agricultural and apiculture practices, and the growing international demand for high-quality Indian honey. This progress is also expected to contribute significantly to higher farmer incomes, employment generation in rural areas, and the overall growth of India’s agricultural export economy.
Overall, India’s rising honey production and expanding export potential reflect a promising future for the country’s apiculture industry and its role in global agricultural trade.
The analysis of honey production during the year 2023–24 indicates that India’s honey sector has emerged as a significant contributor to the rural economy. It serves as a dependable supplementary source of income for farmers and demonstrates strong potential as an export-oriented agri-business industry.
The data further reveals that states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Punjab are currently driving the sector’s growth. At the same time, the North-Eastern, Central, and Southern regions hold substantial potential to lead the next phase of expansion, particularly through the development of organic and forest-based honey production.
Publisher: Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India.