From honey hunt to thriving business: Journey of a young entrepreneur from Warangal

Driven by necessity to find pure honey for his ailing mother during her battle with Covid-19. Madishetti Harshavardhan, embarked on a journey that transformed him into a thriving honey producer and beekeeper

Warangal: In the face of adversity, a young man from Warangal has emerged a successful entrepreneur, driven by necessity to find pure honey for his ailing mother during her battle with Covid-19. Madishetti Harshavardhan, a skating coach and LLB student, embarked on a journey that transformed him into a thriving honey producer and beekeeper.

When Harshavardhan’s mother required pure honey for her recovery, he embarked on a quest to find honey that was both unadulterated and affordable. “I searched online and in stores, but I couldn’t find any honey that was both pure and affordable. I didn’t want to give my mother any honey that was full of chemicals,” he said.

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Dissatisfied with the chemically-infused alternatives available, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Through extensive online research, he taught himself the art of beekeeping and set up two beehives in his backyard. His initial investment for two beehives, costing between Rs 6,000 and Rs 10,000, proved to be a turning point. He placed the hives near his home, within the premises of the skating rink and waited for 45 days before harvesting his first batch of honey.

Recognizing the growing demand for the pure honey, Harshavardhan expanded his beekeeping venture by acquiring ten more hives. This time, he placed them in a farmer’s field in Stambhampalli and successfully harvested another 10 kg of honey after a mere 40 days. Encouraged by his progress, he decided to further amplify his endeavour.

He invested more and bought 100 hives, which found their home in a tank in the suburbs of Wardhannapet. An additional 200 hives were situated near the mustard crop in Ammavaripet, signifying a tremendous leap forward in his beekeeping enterprise. However, unforeseen challenges lay ahead.

He suffered a loss when the transgenic mustard crop in Ammavaripet proved detrimental to the bees’ survival, resulting in the destruction of all 200 hives. Undeterred, he pursued advanced training in honey production and discovered the nuanced flavors of honey influenced by the flowers bees pollinate.

Armed with this newfound knowledge, Harshavardhan strategically placed his beehives in mustard, sesame, Allaneredu and Oma Tulsi crop fields across Nalgonda and Siddipet districts. His efforts bore fruit, allowing him to harvest an impressive 200 kg of honey, each with its own distinct aroma and taste.

Presently, Harshavardhan’s honey has a wide array of customers, including grocery stores, restaurants and health food outlets. While it took several months for the bees to produce their first batch of honey, Harshavardhan’s patience and dedication eventually paid off. The success led him to venture into the online market, where his honey gained popularity, resulting in demand that surpassed his production capabilities.

Harshavardhan started beekeeping two years ago under the name ‘Harsha’s Natural Honey’. He started with two boxes and struggled to produce honey with 200 boxes. 300 kg of honey was produced in 45 days. He opened a store at Subedari at Hanamkonda opposite the DIG bungalow to sell this honey. As the demand shot up, it was increased to another 250 boxes. Presently, he is offering different types of natural honey with 450 boxes.

“In the beginning, marketing was difficult, but now online, business is good as people in the know are buying,” he added.