American Foulbrood outbreak devastates 80% of beehives in Erbil’s Balakayati region

ERBIL — Honey production in the Kurdistan region has sharply declined, with nearly 80% of beehives in Erbil’s Balakayati area infected by a new outbreak of American Foulbrood, a highly contagious disease that has spread from Iran, local agricultural authorities confirmed.

The rapid spread of the disease has alarmed beekeepers in the border area, where it was first detected in recent days. “This disease came from Iran and has now spread to the honeybees in the Balakayati area,” said Dilshad Hussein Ibrahim, head of the Choman Agricultural Directorate, in an interview with 964 Media.

While the Kurdistan Region typically faces cases of Varroa destructor mites, the current outbreak of American Foulbrood presents a more severe threat to the bee population in Balakayati. Ibrahim noted that efforts are underway to address the crisis, with teams working to find solutions and provide guidance to local beekeepers. “We are currently coordinating with a specialized team to find a remedy for this disease and offering essential instructions to beekeepers to help control the outbreak,” he said.

Nearly 1,000 beekeepers are currently active in the Balakayati area, including several from Qaladze and Rania in Sulaymaniyah’s Raparin district, who have relocated their hives to Balakayati due to its favorable mountainous terrain.

Beekeepers have appealed to the Soran Agriculture Directorate for assistance in obtaining treatments to save their affected colonies. “Around 80% of the beehives in the Balakayati area have been infected by this disease,” Ibrahim confirmed.

American Foulbrood is a serious bacterial disease that affects honeybee larvae. The bacteria form spores that can survive for decades, making the disease extremely difficult to eradicate. It is one of the most destructive diseases for bee colonies worldwide, often leading to signs like sunken or damaged brood cells. If not treated, it can cause the complete collapse of infected colonies.

According to data obtained by 964 Media from the KRG Ministry of Agriculture, honey production in the Kurdistan region saw a significant decline in 2023, falling to 664,009 kilograms from 1,600,824 kilograms in 2022—a decrease of nearly 59%.

Shilan Abdulrahman, head of the Plant and Bee Protection Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, told 964 Media, “Climate change is the key factor behind the decline in bee production. Flash floods and heavy rains destroy the plants that bees rely on for food, especially in mountainous areas. Climate change makes it harder for some plant species to survive in certain regions, which in turn affects the bees’ food supply.”

“Although we don’t have specific data yet,” she continued, “the information we’ve gathered from various departments across the region suggests that bee production is even lower in 2024 for the same reasons I mentioned.”

Despite the decline in production, the number of beekeepers and beehives has increased. The data shows there were 8,635 beekeepers in 2023, up from 8,034 in 2022, reflecting a growth of about 7.5%. The number of beehives also saw a significant rise, with 303,080 hives in 2023 compared to 24,700 in 2022, marking an increase of over 1,127%.

Ahmad Pishdari, head of the Kurdistan Beekeepers Organization, told 964 Media, “Besides climate change, the increase in the number of unskilled beekeepers, driven by the KRG’s plan to export honey abroad, has also contributed to the decline in production. Many have entered the business without adequate knowledge, which can lead to the spread of diseases among beehives.”

In November 2023, the KRG announced the region’s first shipment of honey to Doha, involving approximately 200 beekeepers contributing two tons of honey. This initiative aimed to market local products and establish new relationships with Gulf markets.

“Anyone who wants to become a beekeeper should reach out to Beekeepers’ Organizations for proper training, rather than learning from unreliable sources before owning beehives,” Pishdari emphasized. He also criticized the Ministry of Agriculture, saying, “The ministry hasn’t done enough to help beekeepers combat diseases, as they have yet to send any teams to the affected fields.”

Despite these challenges, Kurdish-produced honey has shown potential on the global stage. In August 2022, at the 16th International Asian Beekeepers Conference in Saudi Arabia, Kurdistan’s honey was awarded the title of “Best Honey” for the year.