Pure honey production flourishes in Anbar

ANBAR, September 6 — Finding pure honey is no longer a challenge for the residents of Anbar’s Jazeera district with five different sites across the area producing various types at various price ranges, all thanks to the efforts of Ahmed Al-Dhayabi and his beekeeping business.

The production sites each house 30 to 80 beehives and Al-Dhayabi has spared customers the trouble of traveling to other governorates by offering free delivery services. 

The apiaries produce multiple varieties of honey from a blend of flowers, including Sidr, clover, thistles, jujube, jet, and black and white eucalyptus.

Some rare varieties like Sufalah, wildflowers, and thistle honey, known for their distinctive flavors and therapeutic properties, are also part of Al-Dhayabi’s honey collection.

Al-Dhayabi told 964 the project began in 2012 and developed over the years to produce a diverse range of honey. The price per kilogram varies between 25,000 and 50,000 Iraqi dinars.

“In Iraq, honeybee queens are hybrid and named after their original queen’s color, such as Italian, Carniolan, and Buckfast. When the honeybee feeding season ends, the beehives are moved to other areas with available nectar sources,” he shared. “Cell production heavily depends on the cultivation of crops like flaxseed and sunflower throughout the year.”

According to Al-Dhayabi, local authorities must focus on expanding green belts and planting more Sidr and eucalyptus trees to support honey production in the region.

Customer Hashem Abdul said: “We found the same quality in Anbar’s honey at lower prices than the honey we buy from Erbil and other cities. I tried Sidr honey following medical advice, and it’s delicious and an effective remedy for some ailments, as well as opening up children’s appetites.”