📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Qiang Huang, Sheina B Sim, Scott M Geib, Anna Chil
Agriculture
Himachal Beekeepers in Kangra Face ₹3-Crore Loss Due to Small Hive Beetle
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 20 Sep 2026, 05:46 PM
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Beekeepers in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh reported a ₹3 crore loss after an outbreak of the small hive beetle devastated their hives.
A sudden surge of the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) has wreaked havoc on honeybee colonies in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, leading to an estimated loss of ₹3 crore for local beekeepers.
According to reports from the district agriculture office, the pest has infested over 1,200 hives, causing significant reductions in honey yield and compromising the health of the colonies.
The state government has mobilised a task force to monitor the spread and is offering free diagnostic kits and training on preventive measures such as hive sanitation and the use of pheromone traps.
Experts warn that if containment measures are not intensified, the economic impact could extend beyond the immediate loss, affecting both the local honey market and the livelihoods of small-scale apiarists.
According to reports from the district agriculture office, the pest has infested over 1,200 hives, causing significant reductions in honey yield and compromising the health of the colonies.
The state government has mobilised a task force to monitor the spread and is offering free diagnostic kits and training on preventive measures such as hive sanitation and the use of pheromone traps.
Experts warn that if containment measures are not intensified, the economic impact could extend beyond the immediate loss, affecting both the local honey market and the livelihoods of small-scale apiarists.