250 hives, 2.5 to 3 lakh taka a year

This beekeeper from the Nabaron Khan Bazar area of Sharsha, Jashore, has kept bees since 2007 and now runs about 250 colonies. Each box yields roughly 2 kg of honey per collection, and in good weather he can harvest several times in a season. After all expenses the year brings him 2.5 to 3 lakh taka, and he describes it as good profit on low costs. Every box has to be opened and inspected at least once a month, and guarded against bee diseases and pests such as the wax beetle. During the monsoon, when flowers are scarce, the colonies have to be fed sugar or they will not survive. He has trained others locally, including one beekeeper running 15 boxes who also reports a good income after costs.