Ağrı targets 357 tons of honey production with new hive project

Ağrı is targeting a total honey production of approximately 357 tons for the 2026 season, with an expected average yield of 12.5 kilograms per hive. The region's rich flora, particularly the abundance of sainfoin and bull thistle in the highlands during July and August, provides significant nutritional resources for bees.

To boost the production and brand value of the geographically indicated ‘Ağrı Geven honey’, a new support project has been launched by the Provincial Special Administration. The initiative aims to produce 4,000 empty hives. Half of these, totaling 2,000 hives, are being manufactured by students at vocational and technical Anatolian high schools in Ağrı Center and Doğubayazıt, while the remaining 2,000 will be procured through a tender process.

In the initial phase of the project, 84 hives will be delivered to six beekeepers. Governor Önder Bozkurt emphasized that the project aims to increase beekeeping capacity and strengthen the brand recognition of Geven honey nationwide, noting the importance of beekeeping for both the economy and ecological balance.