Tuesday 20 / May / 2025
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman is celebrating World Bee Day, observed annually on 20 May, which aims to raise awareness about the importance of bees and pollinators in the ecosystem and their vital role in achieving food security and sustainable development.
The designation of this global day marks a significant step in promoting measures to protect bees and other pollinators, directly contributing to addressing challenges related to global food supplies and helping eliminate them, particularly in developing countries.
Oman has placed great emphasis on the beekeeping sector through the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources. The ministry has implemented numerous research, advisory, and developmental programs and projects across various governorates. Among these initiatives is organizing two annual honey markets—one in mid-year and another in December—in collaboration with the private sector. These markets aim to enhance food security, encourage beekeepers to improve product quality, and achieve sustainable economic returns.
To support the natural environment for bees, the ministry has propagated and distributed forage trees, known as Australian Acacia (Sumur), planted across several agricultural and pastoral sites. This initiative compensates for the loss of grazing areas caused by drought, overgrazing, and desertification, directly contributing to increased honey production during periods of scarce natural resources.
The ministry’s efforts also extend to other bee products, such as wax, royal jelly, and pollen—promising products that foster an entrepreneurial culture among beekeepers and open new horizons in value-added industries and public health.
According to 2024 statistics, Oman has approximately 5,352 beekeepers managing 178,069 beehives, with an annual honey production of 765,053 kilograms. The North A’Sharqiyah Governorate leads in honey production with around 263,000 kilograms, followed by the A’Dakhiliyah Governorate with approximately 177,000 kilograms.
These figures reflect the sector’s growth compared to 2023 statistics, which recorded 623,313 kilograms of honey from 145,485 hives. This growth highlights the sector’s expansion, driven by continuous government support and beekeepers’ awareness of the importance of improving breeding and production methods.
Oman reaffirms its ongoing commitment to environmental conservation, biodiversity enhancement, and food security by supporting the beekeeping sector as a key economic element and a sustainable source of livelihood and production in rural communities.
