Beekeepers demand unhindered honey export

PESHAWAR: Beekeepers, particularly exporters, on Thursday urged the government to take pragmatic steps to remove hurdles to honey export.

They made the demand during an awareness session on the “Certification Programme”, launched by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST).

The session was arranged in collaboration with the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Standing Committee on Honey.

Project Manager of Certification, MoST Islamabad, Shaheen Raja, office bearers of the beekeepers association and honey exporters were present there.

Shaheen Raja briefed the participants about the importance of the “Certification Programme” of MoST.

He stressed the need for certification of Pakistan’s honey and other food products for bringing them up to international standards.

The official asked the traders and exporters attached to the honey sector to benefit from the Certification Programme and improve the quality of their honey.

He hoped the programme would ensure quality assurance and production as well as eliminate sub-standard and adulterated honey production and its sale, buying and exports.

Earlier, the traders and exporters highlighted the issues that were hampering honey exports.

They complained that new rules and policies announced by Saudi Arabia were causing a decline in honey export, owing to which they had faced huge financial losses in the previous season.

The exporters complained of problems in the issuance of visas and lack of sufficient testing labs along with other related problems.

They urged the SCCI and MoST to take up their issues with relevant authorities and play a due role in their amicable resolution.

Participants of the session also urged the Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and Trade Development Authority Pakistan to take proactive initiatives to enhance exports and remove the

sale and purchase, manufacturing of adulterated honey, saying that policy would not only help improve export to the Middle East, Central Asian countries but would also accelerate the export of European states.

They urged the federal government to take up the issue of new policies with the Saudi government and authorities concerned to resolve the problems that were hindering export to Saudi Arabia.