The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to promote the honey business and beekeeping, officially recognizing honey processing, packaging, and value addition as an industry.
According to a report by Pak Observer on Thursday, given the significance of honey as a key production sector in the province, the government is committed to collaborating across relevant departments to further its growth.
This decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by Abdul Karim Tordher, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Industries and Commerce, who reviewed various strategies for supporting beekeeping and the honey business. Several proposals from the Beekeepers’ Association were also discussed, with the forum offering its full cooperation.
The meeting was attended by notable figures including Amir Afaaq, Secretary of the Industries, Commerce, and Technical Education Department; Anwar Khan, Special Secretary; Habibullah Arif, Managing Director of the Small Industries Development Board (SIDB); Basit Khalil, Chief Planning Officer; Nadia Khan, Project Director of Beekeeping and Honey Sector at the Department of Science and Technology; and other representatives from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and Beekeepers’ Association.
During the briefing, the Project Director of the “Bees and Honey Sector” emphasized that Pakistan exports $8.3 million annually from the honey industry. The meeting also discussed the development of beekeeping businesses, packaging, value addition, and other aspects of honey production to enhance the sector.
