Rawalpindi: Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) organised one day National Honey Festival 2019, here on Tuesday.
The festival was organised by PMAS-AAUR Department of Entomology in collaboration with Agri Tourism Development Corporation of Pakistan (ATDCP) with an aim to promote honey, honeybees, their products and beekeeping through this unique educational platform to the public. This event will also provide a platform to the scientists, beekeepers, bee product marketing companies, growers, potential stakeholders in government, NGOs and students to share their views and ideas regarding uplift of beekeeping sector in Pakistan.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan was the chief guest while MNA Nafeesa Khattak was the guest of honor. PMAS-AAUR Dean Faculty of Crop & Food Sciences Dr. Fayyaz-ul-Hassan, Dean Faculty of Forestry & Range Management and Chairman Department of Entomology Dr Atta-ul-Mohsin, faculty members, beekeepers, and students were also present at the inaugural session.
Federal minister said that honey production is a very useful business and Pakistan has great potential to produce prime quality of honey by establishing standards and new habitats. He informed the gathering that Pakistan is producing more than 12, 000 metric ton honey annually and urged to enhance the capacity of the professionals and beekeepers to produce good quality honey. Integrated efforts through capacity building for hygienic and up to mark production not only flourish beekeeping industry in Pakistan but also lead country towards economic progress through foreign earnings, he added. He highlighted the major issues such as deforestation, indiscriminate use of pesticides, climate change effects as well as bee colony problems. He recommended that to identify the favorable situations and suitable areas, regional survey must be conducted within country to help the beekeepers. He encouraged the private sector to come forward and develop joint initiatives for promotion of bees in the agricultural system. He further added and appreciated that PMAS-AAUR is playing a vital role in boosting up beekeeping sector in Pakistan. The chief guest, other dignitaries and participants also visited the stalls displayed outside the main auditorium