Honey production increases in Nangarhar province

Nangarhar officials said this week that domestic honey production has increased this year, against last year, and that so far, 650 tons has been produced.

Beekeepers have said however that recent political developments and drought have affected their trade.

But officials at the Nangarhar Department of Agriculture say significant steps have been taken to address beekeepers’ problems.

Beekeepers in Nangarhar, like in other parts of the country, plant seasonal flowers for their bees. However, with fewer shrubs and flowers, due to drought, they have been forced to move their bees across the Durand Line into Pakistan, which they say has created problems for them.

They say they are made to pay taxes and in some cases bribes.

“If flowers are planted for us in the tropical parts of Afghanistan, we will not need to go to Pakistan,” said beekeeper Rahman Gul.

“Across the Durand Line, they take money from us as much as they can for each beehive,” he said.

But honey sellers in Jalalabad are happy and say that trade is improving daily after the change in the political system.

“We have different honey, but most people like Nangarhar honey,” said Ekhteyar Jan, a honey seller.

Officials from the Nangarhar Agriculture Department said honey is currently exported to different parts of the country, and that necessary measures have been taken to solve the problems of beekeepers.

Dr Zamir Behsudi, a representative of the Nangarhar Department of Agriculture, said: “Our honey production has increased compared to previous years and even our domestic honey has been exported to foreign countries. It still has a good market and demand and we have a plan for beekeepers to plant them flowers.”