Patna, July 8 -- Bihar Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha on Wednesday said that the state government is promoting an integrated model of sunflower cultivation and beekeeping under the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oilseeds (NMEO-OS) to enhance farmers' income, generate rural employment and strengthen self-reliance in edible oil production.
He said the initiative has started yielding encouraging results.
Sinha said sunflowers serve as a vital source of nectar and pollen for honeybees during the summer months when the availability of flowering plants declines significantly. This helps sustain bee colonies and boosts the production of high-quality honey.
At the same time, natural pollination by honeybees improves seed setting, enhanc...