The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has agreed to take steps for promoting the honey business and beekeeping in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to formally recognize honey processing, packaging, and value addition as an industry.
Considering honey, as a major production sector of the province, it has expressed resolve to make joint efforts by the relevant departments to further promote it.
Consensus in this regard was developed during a high-level meeting held here with Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Industries and Commerce, Abdul Karim Tordher in the chair reviewed various aspects of promoting beekeeping and the honey business in the province. Several proposals from the Beekeers’ Association were also discussed in the meeting and the forum assured its cooperation. The meeting was attended by the Secretary Industries, Commerce and Technical Education Department Amir Afaaq, Special Secretary Anwar Khan, Managing Director of the Small Industries Development Board (SIDB) Habibullah Arif, Chief Planning Officer Basit Khalil, Project Director of Beekeeping and Honey Sector at the Department of Science and Technology Nadia Khan, Deputy Manager of the KPBOIT Gul Mohammad, Deputy MD SIDB Nauman Fayaz, representatives of the Small and Medieum Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), and officials from the Beekeepers’ Association including Sher Zaman Mohmand, Gul Badshah and others. According to the instructions of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, various stakeholders presented their views on the development of beekeeping businesses at the local level, and the packaging, value addition, and other aspects of honey production to develop this sector. The issues raised by the representatives of the business sector were also discussed in the meeting.
On this occasion, in the briefing provided by the Project Director of the “Bees and Honey Sector” from the Department of Science and Technology, it was highlighted that Pakistan exports $8.3 million worth of export annually from this sector.—APP
