By Muhammad Mudassar ISLAMABAD, Jan. 31 (INP-WealthPK): Beekeeping for honey is becoming a more profitable and eco-friendly business in Pakistan, earning handsome foreign exchange. Pakistan produces the world's sweetest and finest honey-like Acacia Modesta, Acacia Nilotika, Apple Blossom, Peach Blossom, Sidr (Beri), Robinia (from Black Locust Tree), Orega (sperkai), and Juniper Forest honey. Usually, four species, Apis dorsata, Apis cerana, Apis florea, and Apis mellifera are used for honey production. The beekeepers are mainly concentrated in Chakwal, Jhelum, Attock, and Sargodha districts of Punjab, some parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and the north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which abound in areas ideally suited to the exotic bees. The number of beekeepers is increasing rapidly due to the rise in demand for honey locally and internationally. According to the All-Pakistan Beekeepers Trade and Exporters Association, the beekeeping industry earns $6m foreign exchange annually by exporting honey to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. The major reason behind the increase in demand is that Pakistan is producing 100 percent organic honey. The industry has provided job opportunities to thousands of men and women. According to the state-owned Honeybee Research Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan currently produces around 7,500 metric tons of honey annually, with more than 8,000 beekeepers rearing exotic species in one million beehives. Pakistan exported Rs966 million ($5.8 million) worth of honey in the Financial Year 2018-2019, which was about Rs260 million more than that in the FY18. Experts opine that honey production in Pakistan is far from enough. The country has a vast potential given its environment and abundance of areas suitable for this business. According to the China Pakistan Agricultural and Industrial Information Platform, Pakistan has the potential to increase honey production 10 folds if the latest techniques and production modes are adapted. Realizing this fact, Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the Billion Tree Honey Initiative in December 2020. The project aims to generate 70,000 metric tons of honey per year, 87,000 green jobs, and Rs43 billion revenue. The government aims to increase the plantation of specific trees and flora to improve the quality and production of honey, and grant interest-free loans to traders. According to experts, Pakistan can maximize honey production by following the Chinese techniques. China is the world's largest honey market with the highest number of producers and consumers of honey. As per the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), China is producing almost 400,000 tons of honey per year and the local governments have been using apiculture for poverty alleviation and rural development since 2013. Speaking to the media during the launch of the Billion Tree Honey Initiative in December 2020 by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Yang Rong, chairman of China Bee Products Association, noted that China is willing to share its techniques and experience with Pakistan on large-scale apiculture, plant growing, scientific payoffs, bee breeding, etc. The Chinese market has great demand for bee products like bee wax, bee milk, honey, propolis, etc. and the Pakistani farmers can earn a handsome amount of money by exporting these products. President of All Pakistan Beekeepers Trade and Exporters Association Raza Khan said that Pakistan produces 100 percent organic honey and the demand is increasing, particularly in Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait. “Our honey is unique in the world for its natural taste, color, and texture. Internationally, its demand is growing day by day. I urge the government to provide more incentives to boost the business and grant industry status to commercial beekeeping,” he said. Studies find that almost 59 percent of beekeepers sell their honey to merchants who come from other areas, while 32 percent sell their produce to the market directly. The beekeepers who sell their produce to merchants get a low price compared to those who sell in the local market directly. The government must facilitate the beekeepers to sell their produce to the market directly rather than leaving them to the exploitation of the merchants. The state support and patronage will encourage the producers to expand their business which will, in turn, contribute towards strengthening the national economy.