Plan bee: Pakistan honey exports create jobs buzz

Plan bee: Pakistan honey exports create jobs buzz

Today, he has 100 beehives on his farmland in the Chakwal area of Pakistan's populous Punjab province, and earns between $13, 000 and $16, 000 annually, mainly by exporting honey to countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE. "This is an easy and profitable business as one can start it without getting any formal skills and education," Ahmed told Arab News. He is among a growing legion of unskilled laborers, students and growers in remote areas of the country who are turning to beekeeping as a profitable source of income since it requires minimal capital and skill. "I am encouraging my friends to get into this business, too," Ahmed said, adding that he had to hire two workers to look after his growing apiary. Commercial beekeeping is fast becoming a thriving business in Pakistan's rural areas, providing new job opportunities for thousands of men and women, and helping the country earn foreign exchange through exports, mainly to Middle Eastern countries, according to researchers and honey traders. The business is growing in the Chakwal, Jhelum, Attock and Sargodha districts of Punjab province, some parts of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which have areas