Women beekeepers in Van begin traditional honey harvest

Women beekeepers in the Gevaş district of Van, Turkey, have begun harvesting traditional black hive honey at the foothills of Artos Mountain. Wearing distinctive pink protective clothing, members of the Artos Women's Cooperative use traditional methods, harvesting from willow-branch baskets sealed with mud that were placed in high-altitude pastures during the spring.

Unlike industrial methods, these beekeepers do not use artificial combs, allowing bees to build their own. In addition to black hive honey, the cooperative produces strained honey, bee bread, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly.

Local support initiatives have significantly increased female participation in the sector. In Van, the number of female beekeepers rose from 79 in 2020 to 157 in 2026. Songül Güleç, president of the Artos Women's Cooperative, noted that the cooperative has grown from seven members to ten and that the project is inspiring more local women to enter the industry.