Honey Business On The Brink Of Collapse: Afghan Repatriation Threatens Ber Season

In Pakistan's Haripur camp, Muhammad Nabi, son of Doli, who hails from the Shinwar district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, has been engaged in the honeybee business for several decades. The business was first started by his grandfather, and today his family owns five large farms.

According to Muhammad Nabi, the beehives (boxes) are the most valuable asset of his life. He explains that in previous years, a single hive would sell for 12,000 rupees, but now its price has dropped to just 7,000 rupees.

He attributes this sharp decline to the repatriation of Afghan refugees and the resulting disruptions in the business system.

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He says that his family used to earn up to 3 million rupees annually from this business, but now it is in decline. Nabi states:

Muhammad Nabi further adds that if this business collapses, he will be left with no other means of livelihood. He points out that running the honeybee business requires not only time but also heavy investment, and losing decades of hard work would be nothing short of a tragedy for him.

He has appealed to the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to extend full support to honey entrepreneurs so that their years of effort and investment can be safeguarded.

Nabi warns that if the situation does not improve, the business will be on the verge of closure, affecting not only the families involved but also the local economy.

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