Beekeeping Brings Over NPR 2.5 Million Annual Income to Farmer in Kailali
Hari Ram Bharti, a commercial beekeeper from Kailali, earns over NPR 2.5 million annually from honey production and hive sales. His model is now a regional benchmark in Sudurpashchim.
For Hari Ram Bharti, a farmer from Lamkichuha Municipality, Kailali, beekeeping is more than just a livelihood—it’s a family enterprise and a symbol of rural entrepreneurship. With over three decades of experience, he now earns more than NPR 2.5 million annually through the sale of honey and beekeeping equipment.
Bharti started with just 10 hives and has now scaled up to 1,000 hives. He learned the art of apiculture in Himachal Pradesh, India, in 1990, returning to Nepal in 2016 to start his own commercial beekeeping venture.
His honey is sold not just locally but also in major markets like Kathmandu, Chitwan, Pokhara, and Butwal, under a well-established brand. Due to its high quality, most of his honey sells directly from his home.
Bharti's enterprise is now supported by his sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren, making it a three-generation family business. His son Kiran Pal Bharti is actively involved and also conducts beekeeping training sessions and sells beekeeping materials and hives.
The business has scaled to include sales of up to 500 hives per year, employing at least 10 people. Bharti credits support from the Agriculture Knowledge Center in Kailali for providing grants and technical assistance that helped him expand.
Awarded multiple times at the national level for his contributions to agriculture, Bharti's beekeeping venture has not only funded his household and children’s education but also allowed him to purchase urban property—a testimony to how modern agribusiness can transform lives.