Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Sweida, SANA- Beekeeping is witnessing increasing turn out in Sweida province by the workers in this sector after its decrease during years of crisis and the decline in the number of the producer beehives.
Agriculture Director Assistant, Alaa Shuhaib, told SANA that the number of beehives has decreased in Sweida from 3578 beehives in 2011 to 2141 ones in 2014 and returned to increase after activating this sector by some beekeepers to reach now to about 3321 beehives owned by 330 beekeepers, referring also to the gradually improvement of the bee production as it reached last year to 16.5 tons after it had decreased until 13 tons in the past period.
For his part, Head of Bee Research Department at Agricultural Research Centre in Sweida, beekeeper Maher Dwara, clarified that the reasons behind the refreshment of beekeeping and restoring the work’s turn out are the awareness of many citizens and their realization of the importance of working at this sector regarding securing good income for some families in addition to the health and nutritional benefits of the bee production.
He referred to the importance of the support provided, during the two past years, by World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in cooperation with Arab Beekeeper Union “Syria’s Trust” and Agriculture Ministry through providing two grants including distributing about 960 packages of bees in the province.
Head of Syrian Beekeepers’ Association in Sweida, Zaid abdul-Salam, said that the availability of the suitable conditions for growing the plants was reflected positively on bees’ activity and on the rapid development of beehives in a number of places, in addition, many citizens turned to beekeeping as a new good income as well as providing some aids for beekeepers by some sides including packages and training sessions.
The production of honey in Sweida declined from 20.2 tons in 2011 to 13.2 tons in 2017.
Baraa Ali/ Mazen Eyon