Kingdom top producer of honey in Arab world

The Kingdom is the leading producer of honey in the Arab World, producing over 9,000 tons annually and is home to 5,000 beekeepers and 1 million bee nests, said Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, organizing committee chairman of Al-Baha’s seventh International Honey Festival. The festival concludes Saturday in the presence of international experts and regional visitors.
The sale of honey went soaring at the festival, organized by the Beekeepers Cooperative Association (BCA) under the auspices of Baha Gov. Prince Mishari bin Saud in collaboration with Abdullah Bugshan, chairman of the bee research unit at King Saud University (KSU).
“Beekeepers have sold over SR2 million worth of honey in a single week,” Al-Ghamdi told Arab News.
The event was also supported by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) and Al-Baha University.
The three-day international symposium on honey production and usage, held for the first time in the region, was attended by research scholars from universities around the globe.
“The event was attended by various scientific bodies and major companies specialized in honey and its products within the Kingdom and other countries, such as the United States of America, Romania, Morocco, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan,” said Al-Ghamdi.
He said the festival features a scientific program, during which specialists from universities across the world submit their working papers on bees, honey production and its use as a form of medication.
“The Majri type of honey has fetched between SR800 and SR1,000 a kilo, making it the most expensive kind, while the Saify type fetches SR700 a kilo. Sadr is sold at SR400 a kilo and Samr at anywhere between SR250 and SR400 a kilo,” he said.
"The Al-Raghdan region in Al-Baha is the only place in the Middle East where natural honey bees can grow and flourish following rains and this is why we chose this location to hold the honey exhibition,” Al-Ghamdi said.
He said the festival has become an integral part of the Saudi beekeeping industry thanks to beekeeping enthusiasts who are always keen on participating in festival activities. This is also a golden opportunity to boost tourism.
Al-Ghamdi said experts identified and discussed the problems of beekeeping in the Kingdom and suggested solutions.
Several recreational activities were held on the sidelines of the festival, including a lucky draw raffle sponsored by the Saudi Arabian Airlines.