(MENAFN) Iran has emerged as a significant player in the global honey industry, ranking third in the world for honey production, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The country's value of honey exports is estimated to be $5.6 million, with China, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Germany, Britain, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iraq, and Lebanon as the most important export destinations. The chairman of the Agriculture Committee of Iran Chamber of Cooperatives (ICC), Arsalan Qasemi, announced the country's impressive performance in the global honey market.
The latest census of the country's apiaries by the Agriculture Ministry reveals that Iran's honey production is 136,000 tons, with West Azarbaijan province producing more than 22 percent of the country's annual honey, followed by East Azarbaijan, Fars, Ardebil and Kermanshah provinces. The chairman of the Animal Science Research Institute of Iran (ASRI), Mokhtar Mohajer, stated that Iran ranks third in the world in the number of apiaries, and its rank in honey production is changing and moving between fourth and sixth place in the world.
Mohajer emphasized the need to increase the amount of honey production in the country by three to four kilograms per colony, according to the Seventh National Development Plan (2022-2026). He highlighted the diversity of plants and the area of pastures in the country as factors that could contribute to increasing honey production. Mohajer also announced that Iran produces 8,300 kilograms of royal jelly, 406 tons of pollen, 2,536 tons of beeswax, 247 tons of propolis, and 3,917 grams of bee venom annually.
Iran's beekeeping industry is seeing significant growth, with the number of public and private beekeeping centers increasing in recent years. The country's beekeepers association and other related bodies are working towards improving beekeeping practices and promoting honey exports. The government is also providing support to beekeepers by offering subsidies and loans for purchasing beehives and equipment, as well as training programs for beekeeping. With its vast potential for honey production, Iran is poised to further expand its presence in the global honey market.
MENAFN20042023000045014228ID1106052896
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.