(MENAFN - Trend News Agency ) Baku, Azerbaijan, Sep. 3

By Anvar Mammadov – Trend:

Implementation of the project for the restoration and development of beekeeping in Azerbaijan's Jojug Marjanli village is proceeding quite successfully, Badraddin Hasratov, chairman of Azerbaijan Beekeepers Association, told Trend.

He said that the conditions in this region are very favorable for the development of beekeeping, so the project can be expanded in the future.

"The project, which is being implemented jointly with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), is proceeding quite successfully," Hasratov said. "Fifteen beekeepers were selected, and each was issued ten bee families. Before that, we conducted a one-week training for all beekeepers, and we keep in touch with them by phone. In autumn we plan to conduct monitoring before wintering of bees. We hope that as a result of this project's implementation, the selected beekeepers will be able to provide themselves with stable income. This zone is very favorable for beekeeping, so in the future we want to issue bees to 15 more families."

He added that in the near future, in the north-west districts of Azerbaijan it is planned to implement another pilot project - the development of beekeeping among women.

"The project will be implemented jointly with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and should start in September," Hasratov said. "We have already selected five women from Azerbaijan's Balakan, Sheki, Zagatala and Gakh districts each. Training will be conducted with them, after which bee families and the necessary funds for $1,000 will be allocated to each woman. During the year, a specialist will work with them, who will monitor and report on the implementation of the project."

Hasratov noted that preparations for the exhibition of honey, which usually takes place in the autumn, continue. He added that this year a number of new conditions will be put before potential participants.

"We are looking for a place to hold a fair," he said. "We are likely to refuse from holding the fair at the AMAY shopping center, where it was held in the previous years. We are counting on the participation of about 350 beekeepers who will supply approximately 100 tons of honey to the fair."

"This year, we introduced new requirements to the participants," he noted. "For example, one beekeeper will be able to showcase no more than 500 kilograms of honey at the fair. This was done in order to ensure that all beekeepers can sell their goods completely and in order to avoid monopoly. Besides, there will be restrictions regarding the number of bee families – the beekeepers who have less than 20 or 30 bee families won't participate in the fair."

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