Honey production decreases by 17% in 2023

AMMAN — Honey production in Jordan saw a 17 per cent drop in 2023 to 325 tonnes compared with 392 tonnes in 2022, the Department of Statistics' (DoS) annual report on beekeeping showed on Wednesday.

The report also revealed a “sharp” decline in pollen production, which fell by 44.7 per cent to 4,220 kilograms in 2023 compared with 2022, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The report highlighted a “significant” increase in the production of bee colonies, which rose by 123 per cent in 2023 compared with 2022, as well as a 171 per cent increase in the production of queen bees in the same period. 

The number of bee colonies fell by 18.6 per cent in 2023, with 40,217 colonies reported, down from 49,456 colonies in 2022.

According to the report, the average honey production per colony was 7.9 kilograms in 2022, compared with 8 kilograms in 2023, representing an increase of 1.3 per cent.

The DoS’ section of livestock statistics has also updated the beekeepers' database, now registering 4,280 beekeepers, with 1,508 actively engaged. 

This update is part of ongoing efforts to improve data collection and support the sector’s growth, with surveys conducted annually by visiting apiaries throughout the country.

The section has also updated the beekeepers' framework in coordination with relevant sectors including the Jordanian Beekeepers Union and the Jordanian Beekeepers Association, with a total of 4,280 beekeepers registered, of whom 1,508 were actively involved.

Work is currently underway to complete the framework update in cooperation with these entities. The beekeeping survey is conducted annually through visits to apiaries and meetings with beekeepers nationwide.