Workshop on prospects of beekeeping commences at PMAS-AAUR

Rawalpindi

Speakers at a workshop recommended that to identify the suitable areas for bee habitat a regional survey must be conducted within country and choose incorporate plants that attract beneficial insects to minimise pesticide use. They stressed to enhance bee habitat with flowering plants to get double honey production.

They stated this while addressing at an inaugural session of a three days training workshop on Prospects of Modern Beekeeping in Pakistan at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR), here on Wednesday.

The workshop was organised by PMAS-AAUR Department of Entomology, with an aim to disseminate the applied knowledge of modern beekeeping and to provide an excellent orientation for starting beekeeping as a profitable enterprise.

PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad was the chief guest at the inaugural session of the workshop and more than 50 participants including professional beekeepers, persons interested to start beekeeping, students and researchers of R&D organizations are attending the three days workshop.

Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, while addressing, said that Pakistan has great potential to increase honey yield and double the existing honey production by establishing standards and new habitats. 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 recommended that to identify the favourable situations and suitable areas, regional survey must be conducted within country to help the beekeepers.

Vice Chancellor appreciated the efforts of Department of Entomology for organizing this workshop and hoped that Department will continue its efforts in future by organizing such type of training. He said that technical expertise and practical training is necessary for beekeeping. He urged the University faculty to start teaching, training and research work on honeybee breeding and management for production of honey and other by-products as well their utilization for pollination.

Prof. Dr. Nadeem Akhtar Abbasi, Dean, Faculty of Crop & Food Sciences said beekeeping has more potential and prospects in Pakistan, however alternate resources are quiet important to cope with climate change and unfavourable conditions.

Dr. Ibrahim Cakmak, Director, Beekeeping Development Application and Research Center Uludog University Bursa Turkey said that one week of flowers are enough more for Bees to collect Honey, However precautionary measures can lead to productive hygiene without any waste. He assured full support not only in establishing modern beekeeping enterprises but also for more collaboration in other areas as well.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. Atta ul Mohsin, Chairman, Department of Entomology said that beekeeping is important entrepreneur and in Pakistan 35000 beekeepers are engaged in this profession. There are about 400,000 bee colonies and 10,000 metric tons of honey is produced annually. He informed that important honeys produced in Pakistan are Wild Beri Honey, Olive Honey, Robinia Honey and Herbal Honey. Pakistan falls at 20th in terms of production in the world and total honey export is about $5 million.