Bee farming has emerged as a popular occupation for Rajasthan farmers, many of whom are minting money after shifting from largely rain-dependent agriculture in the desert state.

Even the poison in the stings of the honeybee is turning out to be sweet nectar for those engaged in bee-keeping and fetching the farmers far greater profits than before.

Bee farmers are doing such good business selling poison, honey and royal jelly that it has given them good reasons to overlook the whims of the monsoon.

"I took up bee farming as my crops had been failing due to scanty rainfall for the past four years," said Ramratan, a farmer of Bharatpur district. "It has given me a new way of earning livelihood."

The total production of honey in the state has already exceeded 900 tonnes. With more and more farmers turning towards this trade, the production is expected to cross the 2,000-tonne mark very soon.

According to a Rajasthan agriculture department official, this sort of farming is quite a commercial venture for medicinal purposes in developed countries.

"A similar model will be prepared in Rajasthan in the next five-six years," said the official. "We are planning to provide exclusive training programmes and all basic infrastructure facilities in Jaipur soon to facilitate farmers here."

The low requirement of land or water for this kind of farming is drawing more and more people into this business.

Banwari, a bee farmer for the past four years, said: "I invested very little, but I make good earnings. I have, on an average, made between Rs. 75,000 and 100,000 a year."

One gram of bee poison fetches Rs. 5,000 and the same amount of royal jelly earns Rs. 5,000-10,000.

Farmers from the districts of Bharatpur, Alwar, Sawaimadhopur, Ganganagar and Hanumangarh are selling a range of honeybee products like honey, nectar, wax and venom to medical firms.

Bee farming is also seen as beneficial to the production of mustard, sunflower, orange, apple and litchi crop.

Generally, the bee rearing boxes are kept between normal or seasonal crop. The bees are attracted to it and, after collecting nectar, produce honey in it.

Scientists are developing new boxes that could also collect poison and royal jelly besides honey.