TEHRAN- As announced by a provincial official, 30,000 tons of honey was produced in West Azarbaijan province, in the northwest of Iran, during the past Iranian calendar year 1401 (ended on March 20).

Khosro Shahbazi, the head of the province’s Agriculture Department, said that about 24 percent of honey produced in the country is produced in this province, and in addition to consumption in domestic markets, part of it is also exported to the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf.

West Azarbaijan is one of the provinces with a pleasant climate with green plains and foothills and a very high plant diversity with more than 1,500 plant species, and its summers are rich and favorable for beekeeping.

With a good annual growth of five percent in the beekeeping industry, this province has been able to rank first in the country in honey production in recent years, and its modern apiaries are increasing every day.

Based on the data released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Iran is the third-largest producer of honey in the world.

MA