Failure in establishing a compulsory standard, building brands, packaging and marketing has led Iran’s honey exports to experience a dip in the current Iranian year (to end Match 19, 2016).
By reexporting the honey it imports from Iran, Turkey has succeeded in generating revenues 5 to 6 times as much, IRNA reported.
“Out of 87,000 tons of honey produced last year, 5,300 tons were exported to Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf.
The figure indicates a decline for the current year,” says Mohammad Reza Molla-Salehi, an official with the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad.
“Iran does have the ability to produce standard honey in high quality packaging which are ‘Made in Iran’, but the big obstacle is that honey is exported wholesale from the country,” he said, insisting on the need for the cooperation of all sectors to overcome the shortcoming.
The official noted that the packaging in the country is not satisfactory and it should develop first-rate packaging to be able to compete in the international market.
“Another factor that can help solve the problem,” he said, “is setting a compulsory standard to enhance the quality of the product as opposed to the incentive policy currently at work”.
There are 74,000 bee farmers in Iran, producing honey through 6.5 million bee colonies.
