KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): At least 36 tons of honey was produced in southern Kandahar province this year.
About 70 beekeeping farms were destroyed or brought to a standstill due to the past conflict, drought, and economic hardships.
Eng. Mohammadullah Noori, an official of the Agriculture Department, told Pajhwok Afghan News that bee farms produced 36 tons of honey this year compared to last year’s 32 tons.
The honey was collected from 20 farms while previously the number of bee farms reached 62.
According to Noori, the past conflict, drought, and economic crisis led to the closure of 42 farms.
“Currently two types of honey are famous in Kandahar, one of them is Lachi and the other is basil honey”, he said.
According to him, Kandahar honey is sent to Kabul, Farah, Helmand, and some other provinces, but it costs a lot to send it abroad.
He complained the local administration and NGOs often gave bees and farm tools to women or people who had no knowledge of beekeeping.
Abdul Bari, head of the Bee Farms Association, said most of the bees died during the previous conflicts but efforts were underway to increase these farms.
Abdul Malik, worker of a honey farm, said this year’s income from honey production and quantity had increased.
Farid Ahmad, another worker, was happy with his job and urged the government to find good market for Kandahar honey.
Bee farms’ officials say four years ago they exported 100 kilograms of basil honey from Kandahar to France, which won the first place in Afghanistan.
sa/ma
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