Honey is a major export for Pakistan, with the country earning around $40 million from honey exports in 2020. Now the falling production of honey is adding to the loss in already compromised economy of the country. This has had a significant impact on beekeepers like Mr. Ameen Ul Haq, who has been rearing bees for the past 8 years on the outskirts of Rawalpindi.
Ameen Ul Haq, a beekeeper, explains, “It has been almost 8-9 years since I joined the honey business. Few years ago, the production of honey was much higher but now people have cut down the forest and population has increased drastically in this area, you can also see the houses from here. The residents frequently complain about keeping bees in this vicinity as they fear that bees get inside their houses, water taps and hurt their children. We never faced similar issues before but due to urbanization it has become harder for beekeepers to make ends meet. This business does not require much hard labor, due to my weak physical health and poor financial situation, I found the field of honey production suitable for me. Now the revenue has gotten so worse that we are ready to leave this business because there is not a balanced profit loss ratio, we are falling into debt, every beekeeper is worried about this situation.”
Pakistan is a significant honey producer of various kinds in the world, including Acacia, Eucalyptus, Sidr, and Beri honey, valued for their unique taste and medicinal properties. These are produced in cities like Sargodha, Multan, Islamabad, Faisalabad, and Bahawalpur. Pakistan has around 7,000 registered beekeepers rearing the western honeybee in modern beehives. Nearly 300,000 colonies produce 7,500 metric tons of honey annually.
Sher Zaman Momon, the General Secretary of the All Pakistan Beekeepers Exporters & Honey Trader Association and owner of Pakhtunkhwa Enterprises Company, says, “I have been associated with this business since 1988. Nowadays, Pakistan is producing Cider honey that is mostly exported to Arab countries. Other than that, Acacia honey, Maltese honey, Clover honey, Robinia honey, Shetala honey, Beker honey. There used to be almost 20 kinds of honey but due to several reasons the production has declined drastically. Major reason being climate change that has taken a toll in Pakistan recently, secondly rapid deforestation in this area, and the use of pesticides and chemical sprays on crops affects the population of the bees adversely.”
According to the Pakistan Beekeepers’ Association, honey production has fallen by almost 50% over the last decade. The country produced 8,732 metric tons of honey in 2020, compared to 9,225 metric tons in 2019, indicating a 5.3% decrease in production. This decrease has also had an impact on the economy, with honey exports declining by 16.57% in the first half of the current fiscal year.
Faiz Paracha, an environmental expert, explains, “As one of the finest producers of honey in the world, Pakistan’s honey is in high demand in Europe, especially in America, also known as Beri honey, which is very much popular. But now Pakistan honey production is less, demand is high but production is less. The reason is that the climatic changes in biodiversity have caused damage to the overall production of honey in the country. Overall we have seen that Pakistan’s total honey production is less than a million tons which only generates revenue of around 10 billion dollars annually. Biodiversity has been changing due to erratic rains, trough-like situations, and due to an increase in (changing) weather in areas that are popular for honey production, especially the areas of Punjab, Upper Punjab, Potohar Region, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karak, Bannu and Kohat region and the valleys in northern areas as well. So the changes in biodiversity, the changes in rainfall patterns, the changes in temperatures are also affecting honey production in Pakistan. Major honey season was from mid-September to mid-November but now it’s shortened by one month that is only from mid-September to mid-October. We are ignoring the fact that the temperatures are also one of the main reasons affecting not just the production of honey but also the farmers associated with honey business have faced a huge setback due to the climatic changes, deforestation, reduction in green cover and lack of rainfall as it affects the growth of plants and flowers resulting in decline of honey production. There used to be around 10 lac honey bee farmers around the country but now the number has drastically lowered. Studies are also being done that show that the production of honey in Pakistan has comparatively reduced. This reduction in honey will affect the new generations to come who will grow up without the availability of honey which will make them vulnerable to many health issues and diseases.
The impact of the decline in honey production is not only limited to beekeepers and honey exporters, but it also has a significant effect on the economy as a whole. The beekeeping industry is linked with other sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, tourism, and pharmaceuticals. Honey is used not only as a food item but also for medicinal purposes, and it is a crucial ingredient in cosmetic products. The socioeconomic effects of this decline in honey production have also been felt by consumers, who are facing higher prices due to the reduced supply that has resulted in unprecedented prices of approximately $440 for 50 kilograms of Beri honey in the wholesale market.
“Pakistan’s honey is important, Pakistan honey quality is of high standard and at the same time its demand is high. Cider honey or beri honey as we call it in Urdu is in high demand especially in middle east, Arab countries, Europe and America. What government along with export production board and horticulture society can do is that they stop urbanization and turning green lands, cultivated areas, orchards into housing colonies and societies. For legal affect some laws should be made that any cultivated land or any orchard land should not be turned into housing colony or urban infrastructure. Urbanization is also causing deforestation, we have seen so many orchards, green areas and cultivated land turned into housing colonies and urbanization and its also one of the main reason why we see deforestation and its effects on honey production,” Faiz Paracha added.
The decline in honey production is a part of a larger issue of declining bee populations around the world. This decline has been attributed to factors such as climate change, pesticide use, and loss of biodiversity. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), bees are responsible for pollinating about one-third of the world’s food crops, making their decline a significant concern for global food security. Biodiversity changes and pesticide use have caused a sharp decline in bee populations in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, impacting not only honey production but also the pollination of 90% of plants.
“Let’s take for example the season of Acacia honey, it used to be of one month now the season has shortened to only 15-20 days. Now we only produce honey from one beehive, if we had the tools we could obtain other valuable products too like Royal Jelly that has great market value and pollen also as we don’t have proper tools to collect and preserve it. Other things like propolis, beeswax, venom cannot be obtained by us and hence wasted because we don’t have the right tools and modern training for our beekeepers,” Momon said.
Pakistan’s current political situation and its relations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have also contributed to the economic challenges facing the country. The IMF’s recent bailout package has included tough conditions, including austerity measures and cuts in government spending, which have had a significant impact on the country’s economy. Political instability and frequent changes in government policies have created a challenging environment for businesses to operate in. The government’s focus on increasing revenue through taxes and duties has made it difficult for beekeepers to sustain their businesses, causing a decrease in honey production.
Ul Haq thinks the government doesn’t provide beekeepers. “Previously there were only 2- 3 farms but now there are at least 50-60 farms in this area and several honey sellers can be seen lined up on this very road. Honey diseases are extremely prevalent we requested the government to do something in order to find a solution to cure the diseased honeys. However, Government never comes to help and provide us or any other beekeeper in this entire vicinity.”
The decline in honey production in Pakistan is a socioeconomic issue that has had a severe impact on individual beekeepers like Mr. Anam Ul Haq, as well as consumers. To address this issue, the government is providing training and resources for beekeepers, establishing honey processing facilities, and regulating the industry to ensure the production and sale of high-quality honey. The problem is part of a larger global issue of declining bee populations, which has implications for food security globally.