JAMMU, Dec. 11 -- Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned about Sulai honey of Ramban district during his "Mann Ki Baat" programme on Sunday, the 100% organic product has not only evoked interest among the people but may also propel fortunes of nearly 550 beekeepers in this Himalayan region. Sulai honey, also called Acacia honey, is produced by bees (Apis mellifera) fed on flowers of plectranthus rugosus, called Sulai in local parlance in Ramban district alone. The bees forage on the nectar of snow-white blossoms of Sulai during September-October every year to produce the well-rounded, naturally sweet honey with floral undertones. Chief agricultural officer Vinay Kumar Jandyal said that the mention of Sulai honey by the PM has made it famous nationwide. "It will definitely lead to a significant increase in the income of farmers associated with it. We are also trying to set up a centre of excellence at a cost of Rs 15 crore where farmers associated with Sulai honey can be trained and imparted technical know-how," said Jandyal. "We don't want to confine our production to honey alone. There are other products as well like royal jelly and bee venom. Last month, we had sent a delegation of bee farmers to Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana on a study tour," he said. He said with the effort of MLA, Banihal, Sajjad Shaheen, the centre of excellence will soon come up at Banihal. Jandyal, however, said that the Sulai shrubs or plectranthus rugosus need to be protected from grazing. "Since Ramban district is the only area in J&K where Sulai shrubs are largely found, we flagged the issue before the government to make enclosures to protect these shrubs from grazing by the cattle of nomads during their bi-annual migration from upper reaches to plains," he said. Sub-divisional agricultural officer and nodal officer for apiculture production in Ramban, Ayaz Ahmed Reshi said, "Plectranthus rugosus, a shrubby plant, is found on hilly slopes of the district at a height of 1,500 meters from sea level". "The nectar collected by honeybees comes from its flowers. The shrubby plant itself was used in traditional medical practices and is effective as an antiseptic, is hypoglycaemic, anti-diarrheal and a bronchodilator," said Reshi. The wild flora lends a unique taste and texture to the honey, he added. Though Banihal has the biggest cluster of Sulai honeybee farming in 5,500 hectares, the Sulai honey farming was being done in Gool, Rajgarh and Digdol areas as well covering around 20,000 hectares of land. Presently, there are 40,000 bee colonies in the district but we have sufficient flora for increasing them to 2 lakh, said Reshi. He said that the government formally started working with the beekeepers in 2014 for producing Sulai honey. "The government is now offering 80% subsidy to the interested beekeepers. The government provides Rs 1.12 lakh and the farmer has to contribute Rs 28,000 for setting up a bee unit. So far, we have distributed 140 units and we intend to increase them to 175 by the year end," he said. The official informed that since this honey comes from medicinal shrubs, not a single case of Covid was detected among 550 beekeepers in 2019 and 2020. The 100 % organic Sulai honey was given the GI tag in 2023. It may be stated here that PM Narendra Modi gifted Sulai honey to Queen Elizabeth II during his visit to the UK on November 13, 2015. Similarly, it was presented to foreign delegates as a gift from India at the 2022 World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos. Before PM's mention of Sulai honey in his 'Mann Ki Baat" programme, it was being sold from Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 per kg but its price may now escalate to Rs 2,000 per kg, he added. Presently, 550 farmers associated with its production, produce around 143 tonnes of Sulai honey every year. President of the Ramban beekeepers' association, Farooq Ahmad Wani said, "The PM has infused a new lease of life among the beekeeping community and we strongly feel that new business opportunities are on the anvil." Wani, however, urged the government to provide more facilities, modern training, and marketing support for Sulai honey....