JAMMU & KASHMIR: The Pulwama district of jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a remarkable tale of passion and perseverance, centered around the journey of young entrepreneur Nazim Nazir. Over the span of five years, Nazim’s trajectory from a curious enthusiast to a prominent figure in the honey beekeeping industry epitomises the symbiotic relationship between human endeavour and the bounties of nature.Nazim’s tryst with beekeeping commenced in his childhood days, nurtured by an innate fascination for the delicate workings of the honeybee world. Fuelled by relentless self-education and deep-rooted passion, he embarked on his entrepreneurial odyssey while still in the 10th grade.Reflecting on his humble beginnings, Nazim recounts, “In 2018, when I was in 10th grade, I constructed two boxes for beekeeping and put some sugar in them. Though my initial amateurish attempts did not work out, I was adamant and with hope sought guidance from the department of agriculture, securing crucial assistance and resources to propel my vision forward.” With a modest investment and unwavering determination, Nazim’s enterprise began to flourish.His inaugural honey extraction yielded 75 kgs of pure, unadulterated honey, marking the genesis of his entrepreneurial success. “It was pure honey with no adulteration,” he proudly emphasises, a testament to his commitment to quality. Nazim earned `65,000 from the first honey extraction, and the family, which had initially been reluctant to support him in his endeavour, extended full support to him after realizing that his hard work and passion for beekeeping had been profitable.After tasting the initial success, Nazim decided to extend his business and availed a `5 lakh loan with a 35% subsidy under the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) in 2019. From the loan money, he purchased 200 honey beekeeping boxes from a person in Rajasthan. He had to spend `25,000 on transportation of these boxes back home. In 2019, he extracted around 300-400 kgs of honey. He also purchased honey from other beekeepers and sold the pure honey without any adulteration directly to the buyers.Driven by a vision to revolutionize the honey industry, Nazim embraced technological innovation, launching his brand and leveraging it on digital platforms to connect directly with consumers. Through strategic marketing and outreach efforts on social media, he endeavoured to eliminate middlemen and ensure the authenticity of his products. With the expansion of business, he has returned the loan, and the count of his beekeeping boxes increased to 2,500 in 2023, symbolizing not just his personal success but also the empowerment of local beekeeping communities.In five years, he has turned into a beekeeping entrepreneur and sold about 5,000 kgs of honey in 2022-23. As Nazim’s business flourished, so did his impact on the community and industry at large.
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