Honey production in 2023 declined by 17%, with total output reaching 325 tons, compared to 392 tons in 2022.
The Department of Statistics, in its annual report released Wednesday on the preliminary results of the 2023 beekeeping survey, also noted a significant drop in pollen production, which fell by 44.7% to 4,220 kilograms in 2023, down from the previous year.
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However, the results revealed notable increases in other areas of the beekeeping sector:
Bee nucleus production rose by 123% in 2023 compared to 2022.
Queen bee production surged by 171% over the same period.
On the downside, the number of bee colonies decreased by 18.6%, totaling 40,217 colonies in 2023, down from 49,456 colonies in 2022.
Interestingly, the average honey yield per colony slightly increased to 8 kg in 2023, up from 7.9 kg in 2022 — a modest rise of 1.3%.
The Livestock Statistics Division updated the registry of beekeepers in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the Beekeepers' Syndicate and the Specialized Beekeepers Union. Out of 4,280 registered beekeepers, 1,508 were confirmed as active. The update process is ongoing.
The annual beekeeping survey is conducted through direct visits to apiaries and interviews with beekeepers across all regions of the Kingdom. – (Petra)
