Will ask airlines to give honey sachets as sweetener: Gadkari

Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said he would request airlines to provide honey sachets as sweetener while serving tea/coffee to passengers in flights.

He was speaking at a Central Bee Research and Training Institute (CBRTI) here on Monday.

"Normally, one spoon of honey is equal to three spoons of sugar. Currently, refined sugar sachets are provided on board to passengers, so we are trying if we can provide honey sachets or honey cubes in flights and hotels," said the minister for micro, small and medium enterprises. There will be a choice of sugar or honey, he added.

"I am going to call Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir and also chairperson of the Khadi Gramodyog Commission, and request them to make both the choices available in flights," he said.

The government is planning to create honey clusters and will focus on increase of honey production, he said, adding that the government is also planning to make different products of honey.

"Such clusters will give a major boost to the rural and tribal economy in the country and the income of farmers will be increased," he said.

Gadkari said his ministry would work to strengthen the rural economy and increase its turnover to Rs five lakh crore in the next five years.

"Be it milk, honey, bamboo, blue economy, ethanol or biofuels, the rural economy will be strengthened through all these sectors," he said.