Yemen is honey home..Festival celebrates honey heritage & its unique quality

Under the slogan "Yemen is Honey Home", Al-Sabeen Park in the capital witnessed launching the activities of the Yemeni Honey National Festival and Bee Products in its "third season" last Sunday, to highlight the superior quality of Yemeni honey , its many benefits, and to promote this local product.

The festival, organized by the Honey Unit of the Supreme Agricultural and Fisheries Committee and the Agriculture and Irrigation Ministry , provided a distinguished platform for beekeepers and producers to display their products and interact with experts and visitors, as well as strengthen ties with the private sector and relevant authorities.

The festival witnessed wide participation from honey associations and producers, beekeepers, marketers and interested parties from various provinces, and this interaction reflects the importance of Yemeni honey in local culture and the major role it plays in the national economy.

The Vice Chairman of the Supreme Agricultural and Fisheries Committee - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Dr. Radwan Al-Rubai, explained that the festival is an important means of promoting honey, as honey associations, producers, beekeepers, marketers and interested parties from various provinces participate in it.

He stressed at the same time that it represents a golden opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge, which contributes to the honey industry development in Yemen.

He praised the festival's activities and seminars to discuss the development of beekeeping , honey production, and how to address the challenges facing this sector, such as the random logging of trees that are considered pastures for bees and a source of their nutrition.

He pointed out that the flooding of the market with imported honey represents a major challenge, which requires cooperation with the private sector and importers to focus on supporting , purchasing Yemeni honey and reducing foreign imports.

Dr. Al-Rubai stressed that the National Festival of Honey and Bee Products reflected the spirit of cooperation and community participation, and enhanced the preservation of Yemeni honey at the forefront of excellence compared to other countries, which is known for its quality , unique therapeutic and nutritional benefits.

Scientific studies have proven that Yemeni honey is one of the best types of honey in the world, as it is produced in a pure natural environment and varies according to the type of flowers that bees feed on.

Yemeni honey has many health benefits, including improving the digestive system, strengthening the immune system, and fighting diseases. It is also used in many therapeutic and cosmetic recipes.

Experts and academics stress the need to achieve sustainability and support this sector, and work to provide the necessary support to beekeepers , traders, and develop local and international marketing methods.

They pointed out the importance of improving the quality of Yemeni honey and supporting them in marketing honey and introducing them to scientific practices for beekeeping and producing honey with specifications that enable beekeepers to achieve an appropriate economic return through the marketing process in local and global markets.

Experts and academics stress the need to achieve sustainability and support this sector, and work to provide the necessary support to beekeepers and traders, and develop local and international marketing methods.. pointing out the importance of improving the quality of Yemeni honey and supporting them in marketing honey and introducing them to scientific practices for beekeeping and honey production with specifications that enable beekeepers to achieve an appropriate economic return through the marketing process in local and global markets.

Dr. Jamah Ahmed Al-Jammah, Professor of Beekeeping and Academic Researcher at Dhamar University, considered the festival a qualitative leap for all beekeepers present in Yemen.

He said: "The first and last goal of the festival is to publicize Yemeni honey, and to convey the honey bee culture to all world parts that Yemeni honey is characterized by a high healing ability."

He praised the organizing body, represented by the Honey Unit in the Agricultural Committee and the Agriculture Ministry, for the performance and organization quality of the festival in its third edition, and the efforts it made to make the festival a success.

He pointed out that Yemeni honey has an ancient history, with its therapeutic and medicinal fame, because it is diverse from many plants such as Sidr, Talh, Qard, Ja'dan, and Asqa trees, as well as diverse mountain pastures in all the mountains of Yemen, which is what makes the quality of honey famous because it is made of several fruits.

He added: "I must also point out here some rumors related to the fact that if honey crystallizes, it is considered adulterated honey, and this is not true, because good honey is the one that crystallizes as a result of the meeting of more than one flower inside one honey, and it is also a physical process that causes the disintegration of the sugars inside the honey, so the honey begins to crystallize, and this is evidence of the quality of Yemeni honey."

Dr. Jamah Al-Jammah pointed out that the turnout for the festival this year is distinctive, and there is a noticeable awareness from the community.. pointing out the diversity of Yemeni honey and the possibility of purchasing at cheap prices, which allows it to be present on the tables of all members of society.

In turn, the head of the media department at the Agricultural Cooperative Union, Dr. Muhammad Al-Saqqaf, spoke about the shortcomings in awareness at the domestic level in Yemen, saying: "The festival is of great importance to restore the reputation of Yemeni honey, and to inform citizens of the honey importance, because it is known for its value abroad, perhaps there is a shortcoming in informing people of the value of Yemeni honey at the domestic level."

He pointed out that the festival represents the cross-pollination of the marketing process and the benefit of establishing partnerships, as the participants are merchants, cooperative societies, and others, and considering that all products related to bee wealth are in one place, this is of great importance, especially the participation of the farmer himself through agricultural cooperative societies.

For his part, the Director of the Bee and Honey Production Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, Eng. Nabil Al-Absi, pointed out the importance of holding such festivals for beekeepers and traders, promoting honey, highlighting its nutritional , therapeutic value, and spreading awareness of its importance.

He said: "The quality of Yemeni honey has been famous worldwide since ancient times, and this fame came from several characteristics and features that distinguish it, including the spread of the Sidr tree. For example, honey is produced from the Sidr flower so that the honey is 90% pure. There are also many types of honey such as Talh and Samr honey, etc."

He explained that such festivals are an opportunity to raise awareness among beekeepers about the quality of production and maintaining the safety of beehives and their reproduction.

From Wadi Doan in Hadhramaut Province, Salem Al-Sumahi from "Sidr Haid Al-Jazil" pavilion confirms that these festivals highlight the Yemeni nature and authentic products, whether for the interior or the exterior, and Yemen is distinguished by the finest types of honey, such as Hadrami Sidr, Shabwani Sidr, Al-Asimi, and others.

He points out that such festivals represent a motivating factor for improving the quality of Yemeni products, exchanging experiences between beekeepers, and developing this product.

He explained that the trees in Haid Al-Jazil in Hadhramaut are distinguished by being among the oldest Sidr trees, and the most diverse, and for this reason, Do'ani honey is distinguished from other varieties by its exceptional quality.

From Hadhramaut Province, Salem Al-Saadi, Hadhramaut Valley Center, praised the organization of the festival and its importance in promoting it internally and externally, and encouraging people to buy Yemeni honey and buy the local product, due to its high quality and cheap prices.

He touched on the great value of Yemeni honey, especially therapeutic and medicinal honey.. noting that the last two years have witnessed a noticeable decrease in honey prices.

Amr Al-Ashmouri, Azal Honey Apiaries - Amran Province, agrees with them.. He adds: "The festival this season is successful by all standards, and the turnout level is great and wonderful."

He touched on the festival coordination level , which was distinguished by the presence of a committee to examine the honey and the entry of high-quality honey.. calling for the repetition of such festivals on an ongoing basis, and in more than one region.

From Amran Province, Osama Ali Al-Dulai, "Planet of Bees", also touched on the importance of the festival in introducing the quality and value of Yemeni honey, and what it represents in terms of great value and health and nutritional benefits that distinguish it from many countries in this aspect.

He called for doubling the efforts of the official role in encouraging and motivating beekeepers to increase production, preserve the environment, combat desertification, and reduce the phenomenon of logging, especially flowering trees, as well as working to reduce the import of foreign honey in support of beekeepers in the country.

He explained that honey production can cover the local market and export abroad due to the abundance of what is produced.

In successful experiences through the self-efforts of cooperative societies, Ali Muhammad Jaber from the Bee and Honey Unit at the Bani Saad Agricultural Cooperative Society in Al-Mahwit Province, speaks about the efforts made by the society to unify beekeepers under its framework in order to advertise honey , the region's product, and to appear with a quality that highlights the nutritional honey value .

He explained that the beekeepers included in the society are 1,100 beekeepers who manage 25,000 hives, noting that the types of honey in Bani Saad include Sidr, Dabba, Dhahi, Bakaa, Marai, and the production amount is about 5 tons annually.

He reviewed the dangers of the phenomenon of illegal logging and cutting trees that threaten the vegetation cover as natural pastures for bees.. Noting that the association worked to educate citizens to reduce this phenomenon and bee reserves were established to multiply Sidr trees and bee pastures.

He praised the level of turnout at the festival.. indicating that the association was keen to present a distinctive model of the quality of authentic honey in the directorate.

In the context of presenting the experiences, Abdul Rahman Abdul Qader from the Beekeepers Association spoke, indicating that the association is a group consisting of several beekeepers, and has succeeded in forming multiple reserves that currently include nine reserve areas.

He said: "We succeeded in producing royal jelly in Yemen, and this is considered a great success, due to the nutritional and therapeutic importance of royal jelly."

Royal jelly is a gelatinous substance produced by honey bees to feed the queen bee and her young, and is used as a nutritional supplement to treat a variety of diseases due to its many nutritional elements, and its effect on growth and reproduction.

He explained that royal jelly has nutritional and therapeutic benefits and value, including a general tonic for the body , memory, is beneficial for skin diseases and prevents premature aging, in addition to many other benefits.

Regarding the challenges facing honey traders and beekeepers, Ahmed Awad Shaya, "Bab Makkah for Yemeni Honey", stated that the current edition of the festival, which witnessed a large turnout compared to previous festivals, represented an important opportunity to discuss challenges and the possibility of reaching effective solutions.

He stressed that the country has great potential to develop beekeeping and honey production, but it faces challenges, including the random logging of trees that are considered pastures for bees, as well as the flow of imported honey to the market, which poses a major challenge, which requires strengthening cooperation with the private sector and importers to focus on supporting Yemeni honey and reducing reliance on imported products.

He noted the efforts of the competent authorities to boycott foreign honey and not import it, which would support local honey.

Shaya said: "Among the challenges facing honey traders and beekeepers are high taxes and the problem of zakat starting from the beekeeper to the shops, and we hope that this aspect will be taken into consideration by the relevant authorities, which will contribute greatly to encouraging beekeepers to increase production."

He touched on the danger of using chemical pesticides randomly and their negative impact on the beekeeping and honey production sector.

He explained that the harm of pesticides is not limited to eliminating agricultural pests only, but also causes the destruction of bees that play a vital role in the pollination process and honey production.

He pointed out that the excessive use of chemical pesticides leads to pollution of natural environments and loss of biodiversity, which negatively affects the quality of honey and threatens the survival of the unique bee breed that distinguishes it.

Shaya called for adopting sustainable agricultural practices and avoiding the use of chemical pesticides to preserve the environment and bees alike.

He pointed out that Yemeni honey is distinguished by its exceptional nutritional and medicinal quality, which requires raising awareness of its importance domestically and promoting its fame abroad.

Ali Saleh Salem Al-Awlaqi, a wholesale honey merchant from Shabwa Province, pointed out that the festival plays a vital role in helping beekeepers market their honey in light of the decline in purchasing power and the accumulation of stock, which hinders them from obtaining the cost of production.

He explained, saying: "I know more than 700 beekeepers who have left this profession due to the weak demand in the market and the high costs of production, especially in transportation. The road that used to take six hours now takes two or three days, which increases costs significantly, and with the increase in costs, the beekeeper is inevitably exposed to losses."

Al-Awlaqi called on Agriculture Ministry and the relevant authorities to take effective steps to prevent the import of foreign honey, pointing out that some traders import foreign honey and then re-export it as Yemeni, which negatively affects the reputation and quality of authentic honey.

Yemeni honey is considered one of the finest types and varieties of honey in the world, and it has been widely accepted for its high quality, reputation and fame since ancient times.

There are different and varied types of Yemeni honey, including Sidr, Samr, Dabi, Sal, Marai, and others. It is distinguished by its climatic diversity in terms of mountain honey, valleys and deserts.

Honey is used in the manufacture of many medical and cosmetic preparations and has great nutritional value, in addition to its uses in treating many diseases.

According to agricultural statistics data, Yemen's honey production during the year 2021 AD amounted to approximately two thousand and 886 tons, while the number of beehives reached one million and 317 thousand and 755 hives.

The data indicated that Hadhramaut Province topped the list of provinces in honey production during 2021 AD, with an amount exceeding 1,090 tons, while the number of beehives in it reached about 369,404 hives.

The statistical data indicated that Al-Hodeida Province ranked second with a production of 351 tons of honey, followed by Shabwa Province with approximately 341 tons, and Abyan Province ranked fourth with 335 tons.