‘Honey couple’ of tribal-dominated West Champaran area make decent earning through beekeeping

Bettiah: In tribal-dominated Santpur Soharia panchayat of Bagaha, West Champaran, a silent example of self-reliance is unfolding.Suman Devi of Kadmahiya village has come up as a symbol of empowerment through her thriving honey production enterprise.

The exceptional purity of her honey, drawn from mustard fields and forest herbs, has created demand far beyond Bihar, reaching Delhi, Assam, and other states.Today, she earns Rs6-7 lakh annually, standing as an example of how innovation and will can transform lives.Suman and her husband, Satyendra Singh, are known locally as the “Honey Couple.”Their journey is that of transformation, fuelled by a will to change their lives.

And they are inspiring those looking for work.Once a private schoolteacher earning merely Rs2,000 a month, Satyendra struggled to support his family. Determined to change their destiny, the couple turned to beekeeping, starting modestly with just 20 boxes. With training, patience, and hard work, they expanded to over 100 beehives—now producing 30 to 40 quintals of pure mustard honey over five months.“We have been into the business of honey production for past four year.

Our honey is in high demand, especially among Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel,” Satyendra said. “We sell honey for Rs 500-600 per kg. Pure mustard honey is full of anti-inflammatory properties and anyone who tastes it once comes back for more.” They said they also sell through e-commerce platforms, supplying honey to Delhi, Assam, Kolkata, and other states.Beekeeping near the Valmiki Tiger Reserve has another benefit—nature itself enriches their product.

“The bees collect nectar from mustard flowers and medicinal forest herbs,” Suman said. “This honey is rich in healing properties. Women use it as a beauty pack, and it helps in weight loss and ailments like pneumonia, cold, and cough.”Recognising their dedication, the district administration supported them with a Rs4-lakh loan. Suman has since taken this mission of self-reliance further—training 60 local women in beekeeping so they too can earn a livelihood and build economic independence. In an area dominated by agriculture and mustard cultivation, beekeeping is emerging as a sustainable, nature friendly enterprise.This area is primarily agricultural, and mustard is cultivated on a large scale here. Beekeeping can be successfully practised here to produce pure mustard honey, Suman said.