Architect turned beekeeper sets up organic honey business; revenues hit Rs 1.15 crore in second year

The pull of the soil is hard to resist. So after degrees in architecture and urban planning, Vishal Pachaar chose to pursue his family's profession of farming and beekeeping. 

“I grew up in the Gorchhi village in Hisar tehsil of Haryana. My family has been into farming for generations. We grow mustard, bajra, wheat and cotton. Since 2009, the family has also been involved in beekeeping,” Vishal tells 30Stades. 

While studying, he helped his father with beekeeping during his free time. With 15 years of hands-on knowledge, Vishal was drawn more to rearing bees than designing buildings. 

“When I came home from college during COVID-19, I observed that only one type of honey was available in the market. However, the nectar from different flora creates different honey varieties in terms of colour, taste and other properties. That’s when I felt this market has huge potential,” he says.

India ranks among the top five honey producers globally, with an annual production of around 1.25 lakh metric tonnes (MT) as of 2023. The domestic honey market is valued at approximately Rs 3,000 crore and is expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10-12%, according to a 2023 study titled ‘Current Scenario of Beekeeping and Honey Production in India’.

Beekeeping supports over 2 lakh farmers and beekeepers in the country, it adds.

Also Read: From Rs17,000 salary to Rs17 lakh annual turnover, how beekeeping changed the fortunes of this Odisha man

Beekeeping entrepreneur

To pursue his passion, Vishal completed the Level 4 National Skill Assessment from the Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre in Ramnagar (Kurukshetra) and became a certified beekeeper.

Beekeeping, or apiculture, involves keeping bee colonies in artificial hives (bee boxes) to harvest honey, beeswax and pollen. Pollen is in high demand as it is a protein-rich superfood. Beeswax is used in the cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and candle-making industries. Royal jelly (the food of the queen bee) and propolis (which has medicinal properties) are other products harvested. 

Vishal registered Jagdev Organics Pvt Ltd as a company in 2023. He is the co-founder and director of the company. The other co-founder, Ankur Dalal, is the CFO. 

The company produces 12 varieties of flower honeycomb, various flavours of organic honey, bee pollen protein bar, and beeswax candles. The comb, where the honeybees live and make honey, is also edible and considered a delicacy.  

The start-up has its own forest and flower-specific apiaries, where beehives are kept for honey production. The honey is free from chemicals. 

Also Read: 19-year-old Kashmiri girl turns around family beekeeping business; earns Rs2 lakh monthly

Sharing best practices

Jagdev Organics also equips beekeepers and farmers with improved techniques, promoting beekeeping as a sustainable livelihood. They can get their honey processed at the Jagdev Organics plant for a nominal charge.  

“We have a one-tonne honey processing plant on two acres and are putting up another 10-tonne plant. Farmers must take up beekeeping as pollination increases the crop yield. Bees pollinate plants within a two-km radius,” explains Vishal. 

“We are connected to 500-plus farmers and beekeepers. We both procure from them and train them in beneficial practices. There are 100 large beekeepers from whom we regularly procure,” says Vishal. 

This has led to increased farm productivity and additional income for farmers.

From Rs 12.97 lakh in 2023-24, the revenue of Jagdev Organics shot up to Rs 1.15 crore in 2024-25. “In the next financial year, we expect the revenue to touch Rs 2.5 crore,” says Vishal confidently. 

Also Read: Kashmiri youth find the sweet spot in beekeeping; earn lakhs annually

“We sell pan-India. Around 95 percent of our sales are B2B. The reason: B2C marketing is expensive, and the market grows slowly. Some of the companies we sell to are DeHaat, Orgblendz and Mango Herbs.  We currently export our honey products to Dubai and are looking to sell to Israel and Europe in the future,” says Vishal.

Effective innovation 

Jagdev Organics obtained Rs 22 lakh for being an innovative startup as part of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).

"Our innovation was simple but very effective. We keep the bees in wooden boxes. Bees are of three categories: the queen, workers (female) and drones (males). We put a ‘jhali’ like sheet separating the queen bee (which is big in size and lays eggs) from the worker bees in the top box. The purpose of the sheet is to ensure that the nectar does not get mixed with the eggs,” says Vishal. 

“Worker bees collect nectar on their tongues and pollen on their six legs. The more they flutter their wings and reduce the moisture in the nectar, the better the quality of honey,” he says.

Exotic varieties

The honey varieties sold by Jagdev Organics include mustard, ajwain, cardamom, cinnamon, forest, garlic, ginger, eucalyptus, jamun, Sidr honey, Kashmiri Acacia, lemon infused, litchi and multiflora. They are priced between Rs 500 and Rs 700 per 400 gm bottle. The premium varieties are Sidr honey and Kashmiri Acacia, which cost around Rs 1000 per 400 gm bottle. 

“Sidr Honey is very popular globally for its unique taste, aroma, and medicinal benefits. The nectar source of Sidr Honey comes from ‘ber’ (Indian jujube) flowers,” says Vishal. 

Also Read: From relocating bees to offering pollination services, how this engineer found success in the business of bees 

“We have placed a trap at the entry point of the wooden box so that pollen stuck to the legs of the worker bees can be removed. The pollen can be sun-dried or dried using a dryer. Pollen production is maximum in mustard (yellowish colour)," he says.

In a box, if you collect even 100 gm of pollen, it is a lucrative proposition. The market price for pollen is Rs 2,000 per kg,” says Vishal.

The Jagdev Organics team has trained other beekeepers on extracting pollen using the trap. The trap is inexpensive, costing just Rs 100. It has also trained beekeepers on making value-added products like gulkand (rose petals plus honey) and honey infusions. “We make infusions using cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. The properties of these ingredients enrich the honey. Cardamom infusion is the most popular.”   

“We also provide advanced training to beekeepers on how to utilise comb honey. We explain to them about royal jelly, which is food for the queen, and that it has to be stored at 20 degrees C,” the agripreneur says. 

Jagdev Organics also sells cow ghee, organic mustard and coconut oil, jaggery powder and cubes, and sugar. They trade coconut oil and ghee with buyers of honey and purchase jaggery and sugar from Uttarakhand.  

The Buddha fellowship

Vishal obtained the prestigious fellowship from The Buddha Institute for 2024-26. The institute was founded by IIM Ahmedabad alumnus and development entrepreneur Ved Arya. The fellowship is given to social/development enterprises and involves funding and mentorship as well as the opportunity to network with other entrepreneurs on similar journeys.   

“We learn from present fellows and previous fellows. The problems we face are similar. Also, our venture is moving in multiple directions. Sometimes, we lose clarity. This is where a mentor is vital to guide us on the right path,” says Vishal.

Honey is the oldest sweetener known to humans and has numerous proven health benefits. It is rich in antioxidants, has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, is a natural cough suppressant, and aids in digestion, weight loss, and the healing of burns and wounds. 

The processing of honey involves filtration, testing and infusion. The honey processing plant at Jagdev Organics has a 100 kg filtering tank, and there are multiple stages in the filtration process.  

Beekeepers practising organic apiculture ensure that their bees forage in pesticide-free landscapes, such as certified organic farms, wild forests, or remote natural areas untouched by modern agricultural chemicals.

(Aruna Raghuram is a freelance journalist based in Bengaluru. She writes about people, environmental matters, parenting, DEI issues, and social/development enterprises.)

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