SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi bee-keepers display their products at annual festival of honey in south-western city of Rijal Almaa

Record ID: 188890

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi bee-keepers display their products at annual festival of honey in south-western city of Rijal Almaa
  • Date: 30th December 2011
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF TRADITIONAL DANCE GROUP PERFORMING AT THE HONEY FESTIVAL
  • Embargoed: 14th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: Business,Industry,Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVADVAX5NCZH4VQH4DIG9CDLB21B
  • Story Text: Scores of bee-keepers in Saudi Arabia have displayed their products at an annual festival of honey in the city of Rijal Almaa in the fertile south-western Aseer region.
    The scenic area, set among lush fog-covered lush mountains, drew in tourists and traders to experience one of the region's best-known commodities: honey, traditionally used for healing and eating.
    A traditional dance group from the area entertained visitors by performing to the sounds of beating drums.
    At the fourth edition of the Rijal Almaa Honey Festival, the emphasis was not just on the Saudi Arabia's most prized honey, but also on packaging and marketing to appeal to a wider market.
    "We are particular that the honey producer ensures quality and covers the need of the market. We also want the festival to address the task of marketing the product, in the modern language of marketing. Most of the products in the exhibit came packed in containers, bearing the name and telephone number of the seller and the product warranty. As a result, we reached a good stage in the fourth edition of the festival in the culture of marketing the product," said Ibrahim al-Almaai, the festival director.
    Most of Saudi Arabia is arid desert. But the Aseer region's abundance of trees and mountains, and its mild climate, have made it the ideal place to breed bees since ancient times.
    "Bees in Rijal Almaa in particular feed on more than 350 species of plants," one beekeeper, Mufareh al-Shadidi said.
    In many areas, honey is still cultivated the traditional way in pots rather than modern beehives. The process involves a lot of work, but beekeepers say they reap rich rewards.
    "My advice for young unemployed people is to go to such jobs. It is true that this work is hard, but the results are good," said Ali al-Hayani, a trader and breeder.
    Despite the large number of visitors, organisers said a smaller harvest this year will mean they expect a slight drop in sales.
    "In terms of numbers, at last year's festival, 20,000 to 30,000 kilograms were sold. This year we expect to have up to 20,000 kilograms, or slightly less, because the harvest this year was small," said festival director Almaai.
    The region's honey production needs a constant supply of bee swarms. Egyptian Kamal Ashmawi, who sells bee swarms to Saudi Arabia, said:
    "We distribute the largest quantities of Egyptian bees to Saudi Arabia each year. For example, this year we supplied nearly 100,000 swarms to the Saudi Arabian market."
    One of the region's most valuable exports is Sidr honey, a dark, high grade product cultivated by bees which feed on the jujube tree, and widely thought to possess medicinal qualities. Its value can range anywhere from 250-350 Saudi riyals (66-93 U.S. dollars) per kilo.
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