Shimla, Sept. 20 -- Himachal Pradesh's beekeeping industry is facing a serious threat from the small hive beetle (SHB) (aethina tumida murray) in local apiaries, posing a grave threat to the production of over 1,500 metric tons of honey annually. So far, the industry has already faced losses of Rs.3 crore since June this year with the infestation of the SHB with Kangra being the worst hit. Bee keeping is largely done in districts including Kangra, Hamipur, Una, Chamba, Kullu and Lahaul in Lahaul Spiti. Himachal is home to 37,000 colonies managed by approximately 2,500 commercial beekeepers, producing more than 1,500 metric tons of honey annually. In addition to commercial operations, thousands of local and traditional beekeepers across the state could also be severely affected by an SHB infestation. As per the estimates of the horticulture department, so far, the bee keeping industry has faced 39% loss with Kangra being worst affected. The threat extends beyond honey production, as honeybees are important pollinators of agricultural and horticultural crops. Raising concern, a delegation of beekeepers, led by deputy chief whip Kewal Singh Pathania, met chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday to apprise him about the rapid spread of the SHB, which has particularly affected beekeepers in the lower areas of Himachal Pradesh, causing them considerable losses. Sukhu said that apiculture is an important agricultural and livelihood activity in the state. He said that the state government was making continuous efforts to promote beekeeping in the state and assured the delegation that the state government would make every effort to address the problem through scientific means so as to safeguard the beekeepers from any further losses. Horticulture department joint director Dr Kamalsheel Negi said they organised an awareness camp for beekeepers at Shahpur last week to sensitise them to the growing threat posed by the small hive beetle and measures to protect bee colonies. Negi said, "Controlling SHB is challenging as there is at present no chemical treatment considered sufficiently safe to kill the pest without posing a serious risk to honeybees. Indiscriminate use of pesticides around hives can consequently harm the very colonies they are intended to protect." He said, "We have issued an advisory to the beekeepers to adopt biological control measures, including the use of beauveria and metarhizium, to contain infestations without harming honeybees."...