Turkey Maintains Global Second Place with 9 Million Beehives
· Tarım Pusulası
Speaking at a honey harvesting program in Sivas, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı announced that Turkey ranks second globally with its 9 million beehives and honey production nearing 100,000 tons.
Turkey's Honey Production on the Global Stage
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı shared significant data on Turkish beekeeping at a honey harvesting program held in İnceyol village, Sivas Merkez. Announcing that Turkey possesses approximately 9 million beehives, Minister Yumaklı stated that with this number of hives and an expected annual honey production between 97,000 and 100,000 tons, the country ranks second globally. Emphasizing the sector's current potential, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı made the following remarks regarding targets:
"We are second in the world in honey production. We continue to strive for first place."
Pine Honey Leadership and Accommodation Map
Touching upon Turkey's critical role in the global supply of pine honey, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı expressed the country's dominance in this area with the following words:
"90% of pine honey production is also carried out in our country."
The Ministry stated that beekeeping activities are not limited to simply placing hives in the field and published a comprehensive map indicating areas suitable for beekeeping to help producers make accurate plans. It was expressed that producers can increase efficiency by combining their field experience with this official floristic map.
Bee Venom Regulation and Added Value
Aiming to diversify income in beekeeping, the Ministry has implemented legislative steps for high economic value by-products. Explaining the legislative work for value-added production, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı provided the following information:
"It is related to bee venom. We have published the regulation for this as well."
Yumaklı stated that this product will constitute an important source of income for producers, reminding that there are 41 registered honey varieties with geographical indications across Turkey and drawing attention to the advantages offered by the rich flora to the sector.
Sivas's Beekeeping Performance and Development
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Yumaklı stated that Sivas ranks 4th in Turkey in terms of honey production volume, pointing to the brand value of Zara honey in the region. Yumaklı noted that over the last 24 years, the beehive stock in Sivas has increased by 85% and total honey production by 78%, adding that this growth is supported by per-hive productivity. The momentum was emphasized to be achieved through the region's rich vegetation and the conscious techniques of beekeepers.
Sectoral Technology and Fire Precautions
It was reported that the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM) and the Ministry of Industry and Technology are conducting coordinated studies within the scope of domesticating beekeeping technologies. At the program, Minister Yumaklı warned producers about forest fires, requesting them to avoid any source of flame, including smoking fires, during risky periods when winds are strong, temperatures are high, and humidity is low.