Honey farming in Nepal is one of the few farm businesses you can start without owning land, but it is not the easy-money story it is often made out to be. Nepal keeps roughly 245,000 managed bee colonies, and the national average yield is 17.58 kg of honey per hive per year, according to Ministry of Agriculture figures cited in a 2026 peer-reviewed study of Chitwan beekeepers. This updated guide uses that study, district reports and the government’s own training bodies to show what honey farming in Nepal really costs, what a hive can earn, and where beginners get stuck.
Honey Farming in Nepal: Quick Answer
- Startup cost: about NPR 28,000–49,000 for a 5-hive starter kit without an extractor (estimate, see the cost table below).
- Yield per hive: 17.58 kg a year nationally; 28.2 kg for commercial Apis mellifera hives in Chitwan.
- Profit per hive: about NPR 6,800 a year in the Chitwan study (gross return NPR 12,644 minus total cost NPR 5,823), for experienced beekeepers averaging 71 hives. Beginners should expect less.
- Best beginner bee: Apis cerana (native) in the hills; Apis mellifera in the Terai needs more management.
- Biggest risks: disease and pests, pesticides, shortage of forage, and a lack of lab testing and certification when selling.
Is Honey Farming Profitable in Nepal?
Yes, for people who manage colonies well and have a market, but the profit per hive is modest and the business rewards scale and experience. The best recent evidence comes from the Agriculture Development Journal study (2026), which surveyed 60 commercial beekeepers in Kalika, Khairahani and Ratnanagar in Chitwan during 2025. Beekeeping supplied 78% of those households’ income, which tells you how seriously they treat it as a business.
| Item (per hive, per year) | Chitwan study result |
|---|---|
| Honey yield | 28.2 kg on average (range 18–36 kg) |
| Honey price | NPR 425/kg on average (range NPR 300–600) |
| Beeswax | 1.24 kg at about NPR 600/kg |
| Gross return | NPR 12,644 (honey NPR 11,900 + beeswax NPR 744) |
| Total cost | NPR 5,823 (variable NPR 3,885 + fixed NPR 1,939). Artificial feeding was the biggest item at NPR 1,833. |
| Gross margin | NPR 8,759 (gross return minus variable cost) |
| Net after all costs | about NPR 6,821 (my calculation: 12,644 − 5,823) |
| Benefit-cost ratio | 2.17 (2.04 without beeswax) |
Illustrative calculation: net profit per hive = (honey kg × price) + (beeswax kg × price) − total cost per hive. If you could repeat the study’s average result, the table below shows what different herd sizes would earn.
| Number of hives | Illustrative net income per year (hives × NPR 6,821) |
|---|---|
| 10 | about NPR 68,200 |
| 20 | about NPR 136,400 |
| 50 | about NPR 341,000 |
| 71 (study average) | about NPR 484,300 |
| 100 | about NPR 682,100 |
Hill Honey vs Terai Honey: Lamjung Compared With Chitwan
Honey farming in Nepal looks very different in the hills than in the Terai. The Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Lamjung reported 129.17 tonnes of honey from 17,197 hives, sold at about NPR 1,500 per kg for a total of roughly NPR 180 million. Sundarbazar Municipality was the top producer with 36,000 kg from 4,500 hives. Dividing those figures gives a very different picture from Chitwan:
| Chitwan (commercial A. mellifera) | Lamjung (district-wide, hill) | |
|---|---|---|
| Honey per hive | 28.2 kg (study average) | about 7.5 kg (129.17 t ÷ 17,197 hives, my calculation) |
| Honey price | NPR 425/kg average | about NPR 1,500/kg (reported) |
| Gross revenue per hive | NPR 12,644 | about NPR 10,500 (NPR 180 million ÷ 17,197 hives, my calculation) |
These are not like-for-like numbers: they come from different sources and years, the Lamjung report does not separate bee species or report costs, and the reported price may include direct and retail sales. Still, the pattern is useful. A hill hive makes far less honey, but sells it for far more per kg, so the gross revenue per hive ends up in a similar range. That is a strong hint that how you sell matters as much as how much you harvest.
Which Bee Species and Hive Should You Choose?
Nepal has five honeybee species: four native (Apis cerana, Apis florea, Apis dorsata, Apis laboriosa) and one introduced from India in the early 1990s (Apis mellifera), according to the Chitwan study. Only two of them are practical for a new beekeeper.
| Species | Managed in hives? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Apis cerana (Asian honey bee, मौरी) | Yes | Native and widespread in the hills. The best beginner fit: hardy and cheaper to manage, but lower yield. An older B360 Nepal interview quotes 15–20 kg per modern hive and 10–12 kg per traditional hive. |
| Apis mellifera (European honey bee) | Yes | Introduced. Higher yield (28.2 kg average in Chitwan), common in the Terai and often moved between flowering areas. Needs closer feeding, disease and pest management. |
| Apis dorsata (giant rock bee) | No | Wild. Builds open combs on cliffs and tall trees; harvesting is risky and supply is unreliable. |
| Apis laboriosa (Himalayan cliff bee) | No | Wild. Traditional honey hunting on high cliffs, not a farming option. See the mad honey warning in the FAQs. |
| Apis florea (dwarf honey bee) | No | Wild and small; not used for commercial hive beekeeping. |
Hive types in Nepal
- Traditional log or wall hives: no cost, but inspection and harvesting are hard and often damage the comb.
- Newton (improved traditional) hive: built for Apis cerana, with better access for inspection and extraction at a modest price. A sensible first hive in the hills.
- Langstroth hive: the standard box hive for Apis mellifera, used with a centrifugal extractor in commercial Terai operations.
How to Start Honey Farming in Nepal: 7 Steps
Step 1: Get trained before you buy hives
Do a course first. Training covers colony behaviour, seasonal care, queen management, disease and pest control, and hygienic harvesting. See the training section below for where to go.
Step 2: Match the bee to your location
In hill areas, start with Apis cerana. In the Terai or warm lower hills with strong flowering and equipment access, Apis mellifera can give higher yields but needs more management. Walk your area first: look for flowering plants and forest within a couple of kilometres, and ask how much pesticide neighbouring farms use.
Step 3: Buy only the basic equipment
Start with a few hives, protective gear, a smoker and a hive tool. Share or rent an extractor with a group or cooperative instead of buying one on day one (see the cost table).
Step 4: Set up the apiary
Choose a sunny, sheltered site with clean water nearby, keep hives off the ground, and leave room to work around each one. Tell neighbours about the hives so nobody sprays near them without warning.
Step 5: Manage colonies through the year
Flowering seasons differ by district and honey type (for example mustard, chiuri and buckwheat), so ask your local Agriculture Knowledge Centre for the local calendar. As a rough guide, inspect colonies and add space in the main flow, reduce entrances and watch for disease in the monsoon, and keep enough food stores for winter in cold areas. In the Chitwan study, most beekeepers harvested five or more times a year, and artificial feeding was their largest cost.
Step 6: Harvest and store carefully
Take only fully capped frames, because unripe honey has high moisture and ferments. Use clean equipment, filter, and store in clean, airtight, food-grade containers away from heat and sunlight. Avoid heating honey so it keeps its quality.
Step 7: Test, label and sell
Selling is where many Nepali beekeepers struggle. In the Chitwan study, insufficient certification and laboratory testing was the number one marketing problem. A lab test report, clean packaging and a traceable label give you a real edge. Pair that with direct sales to shops, hotels and online customers, as the Lamjung numbers suggest.
How Much Does Honey Farming in Nepal Cost to Start?
These are estimates carried over from the earlier version of this guide and arranged into a simple budget for a 5-hive hill setup [VERIFY]. Prices change, so confirm with local suppliers.
| Item (5-hive Apis cerana setup) | Low (NPR) | High (NPR) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 hives (NPR 3,000–5,000 each) | 15,000 | 25,000 |
| 5 bee colonies (NPR 1,500–3,000 each) | 7,500 | 15,000 |
| Protective gear (veil, gloves, suit) | 2,000 | 4,000 |
| Smoker | 1,000 | 1,500 |
| Hive tool | 300 | 500 |
| Storage containers and labels | 2,000 | 3,000 |
| Total without extractor | 27,800 | 49,000 |
| Extractor (own, not shared): NPR 8,000–15,000 | 35,800 total | 64,000 total |
A commercial Apis mellifera setup with Langstroth hives costs more per hive and adds ongoing costs for feeding and moving colonies. In the Chitwan study, total running cost was about NPR 5,823 per hive per year including depreciation. Any beginner should also keep some cash aside for the first year, when income is low.
Biggest Problems Honey Farmers in Nepal Face
The same Chitwan study ranked problems on an index from 0 to 1, where a higher score means more severe. Production problems come first:
| Production problem | Index | Marketing problem | Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disease and pests | 0.85 | Insufficient certification and lab testing | 0.76 |
| Pesticide exposure | 0.73 | Untrustworthy traders | 0.65 |
| Shortage of forage | 0.68 | Competition from imported honey | 0.58 |
| High cost of modern hives | 0.56 | Adulterated honey | 0.51 |
| Lack of technical knowledge | 0.43 | Lack of processing, labelling and packaging | 0.42 |
The national picture is mixed too. The Nepal Beekeepers Federation reported that honey production fell to 3,875 tons in 2081 BS from 4,945 tons the year before, even as the number of beekeepers rose from 8,100 to 8,398. It blamed unsold stock, disputes over grazing areas, heavy pesticide use, higher equipment and transport costs, and fake or adulterated honey. For context on import competition, see our guide on why Nepal imports so much food.
Training and Government Support for Beekeepers
- Beekeeping Development Center (BDC), Bhandara, Chitwan: a government body that runs beekeeping training and, according to a Ratopati report, distributes improved queen bees at subsidized prices alongside queen-rearing training. A LEISA India case study describes its capacity-building and breeding work.
- Agriculture Knowledge Centre (AKC) in your district: the first place to ask about local training, programmes and registered beekeepers. The AKC in Lamjung, for example, tracks district honey production.
- LI-BIRD and the Nepal Pollination Project: four-day basic beekeeping trainings for smallholders keeping 2–10 hives, including in Marsyangdi, Lamjung.
- Nepal Beekeepers Federation: district branches can connect you with local producers and cooperatives.
- Subsidies and projects: the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project (PMAMP) has supported honey branding in Chitwan, but I could not confirm which equipment subsidies are open to beekeepers right now [VERIFY]. Check with your AKC, and read our Nepal agriculture subsidy 2026/27 guide for the wider programme.
How to Find a Bee Farm or Buy Honey Near You
If you searched for a nearby honey farm, start with your district Agriculture Knowledge Centre or the local Nepal Beekeepers Federation branch, which know the registered producers and cooperatives. Honey is produced in many districts, including Chitwan and the Sundarbazar, Besisahar and Marsyangdi areas of Lamjung. Before buying in bulk, ask for a lab test report and the honey type (mustard, chiuri, buckwheat and so on), because adulteration and untrustworthy traders are both recognised problems in the sector. If you want to farm rather than buy, a visit to a working apiary is also the best way to learn before you invest.
Can Nepali Honey Be Exported?
Exports exist but remain small. The Chitwan study notes that most Nepali honey is consumed domestically, with only a very small share exported, and that weak quality control, certification, branding and market access are the main obstacles. If you want to explore it, check the current requirements with the Trade and Export Promotion Centre and the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control [VERIFY], and start by fixing lab testing and packaging at home. For other export-oriented crops, see our guides to cardamom farming in Nepal and organic farming in Nepal.
Confirmed vs Not Yet Confirmed
Confirmed from the sources linked above
- National average yield of 17.58 kg per hive and about 245,000 colonies (Ministry of Agriculture figures, cited in the 2026 Chitwan study).
- Chitwan commercial A. mellifera economics: 28.2 kg per hive, gross return NPR 12,644, total cost NPR 5,823, benefit-cost ratio 2.17.
- Production of 3,875 tons in 2081 BS, down from 4,945 tons, per the Nepal Beekeepers Federation.
- Lamjung: 129.17 tonnes from 17,197 hives, with a reported price of about NPR 1,500 per kg.
- The Beekeeping Development Center in Bhandara, Chitwan offers beekeeping training and subsidized queen bees.
Not yet confirmed (do your own checks)
- Earlier versions of this guide quoted honey export value growth of 196.7% and about 7 tonnes in exports; I could not re-verify those figures, so they were removed.
- Reported prices of USD 60–80 per kg for mad honey, and a 2–3 times price premium for organic certified honey: no reliable current source found.
- Whether honey is still named a priority product in the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy, and which organic certification bodies currently serve beekeepers.
- UNDP’s MEDEP programme, mentioned in older guides, appears to be closed, so do not plan around it.
- Which equipment subsidies and PMAMP support are currently open to new beekeepers.
My View: What the Numbers Really Say
First, honey farming in Nepal is a market business as much as a farming one. The Lamjung and Chitwan numbers end up with similar gross revenue per hive, one through volume at a low price and the other through a small yield at a high price. If you are in the hills, I would put as much effort into branding, a lab test and direct customers as into the bees.
Second, ignore the headline profit figures if you are a beginner. The Chitwan result is real, but it comes from beekeepers with a decade of experience and dozens of hives. A sensible plan is 5–10 hives for the first two seasons, treating the first year as paid training, and growing only after you have kept colonies alive through a monsoon and a winter.
Third, the biggest risk is outside your control: pesticides, crowded forage and disease. National production fell in 2081 BS while the number of beekeepers rose. Before you pick a site, check how many hives are already nearby and what the neighbouring farms spray. A weak site will cost you more than a cheap hive.
Finally, the sellers who solve lab testing and traceability will stand out. That was the number one marketing complaint in the study, so a beekeeper who can show a test report and a clear label has something most competitors lack. If you want other low-capital farm options to compare, see our guides on mushroom farming, moringa farming and small business ideas in Nepal for 2026.
Honey Farming in Nepal: FAQs
How much does it cost to start honey farming in Nepal?
A 5-hive starter kit with a local bee species typically costs about NPR 28,000 to 49,000 without a honey extractor, and about NPR 36,000 to 64,000 if you buy your own extractor. These are estimates, so check current prices with local hive and equipment suppliers before you budget.
How much honey does one hive produce in Nepal?
The national average is about 17.58 kg per hive per year, according to Ministry of Agriculture figures cited in a 2026 study. Commercial Apis mellifera hives in Chitwan averaged 28.2 kg. Hill hives are usually lower, and Lamjung district figures work out to roughly 7.5 kg per hive.
Is honey farming profitable in Nepal?
It can be. A 2026 study of 60 commercial beekeepers in Chitwan found an average gross return of NPR 12,644 per hive against a total cost of NPR 5,823, a benefit-cost ratio of 2.17. Those were experienced beekeepers with about 71 hives each, so beginners should expect lower returns at first.
Which bee is best for beginners in Nepal?
In hill areas, Apis cerana, the native Asian honey bee, is the usual starting point because it is adapted to local conditions and cheaper to manage. Apis mellifera gives higher yields in the Terai but needs more intensive management, feeding and disease control.
Where can I get beekeeping training in Nepal?
The government’s Beekeeping Development Center in Bhandara, Chitwan runs training and distributes queen bees at subsidized prices. Your district Agriculture Knowledge Centre and the Nepal Beekeepers Federation branch can point you to local courses. LI-BIRD has also run four-day basic beekeeping trainings, including in Lamjung.
What is the price of honey in Nepal?
Prices vary widely by honey type, buyer and place. The Chitwan study found an average of NPR 425 per kg, in a range of NPR 300 to 600, mostly wholesale. News reports from Rukum West and Lamjung cite farmers selling at about NPR 1,000 and NPR 1,500 per kg through direct and local sales.
Can I export honey from Nepal?
Exports exist but remain very small, and most Nepali honey is sold at home. The main hurdles are quality control, laboratory testing, certification and branding. Before planning an export business, confirm current requirements with the Trade and Export Promotion Centre and the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control.
How can I find a bee farm or buy honey near me in Nepal?
Ask your district Agriculture Knowledge Centre or the local branch of the Nepal Beekeepers Federation for registered beekeepers and cooperatives. Honey-producing areas such as Chitwan and the Sundarbazar, Besisahar and Marsyangdi areas of Lamjung have many producers. Ask for a lab test report before buying in bulk.
Is Himalayan mad honey safe?
Not always. Mad honey is wild honey made when bees collect nectar from certain rhododendron flowers, and it can contain grayanotoxins that cause dizziness, nausea and a slow heartbeat. It should not be eaten casually, and beginners should not collect, sell or export it without proper testing and advice.