Propolis

bees, honey and other sticky subjects

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Iran's Agricultural Jihad measures its honey

Iran's general director of poultry and beekeeping in the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad says that 28,500 tons of honey have been produced by the country's 2.7 million bee colonies in the past year (about one super per hive). That takes Iran to number 11 in world producers with 2.2% of global output. A modernisation programme also seems to be underway, so production might just be about to soar -- it has already since 1984 when annual production according to Eva Crane was just 6,000 tons.

3 Comments:

Blogger Rufus said...

Most impressed by your maths.

3:30 pm  
Blogger Turlough said...

Umm. Not sure how to take that compliment Rufus!

In the past few days, I was speaking to someone who saw beekeeping in Iran a few years ago. He saw hives that were tubes stuffed with straw at one end (for the bees to enter), and mud(?) at the other. I think he said they harvested the honey by cutting the comb off each end of the tube, thereby leaving the brood intact.

So, my estimate of one super per hive is a little inappropriate - perhaps I should have said about a six-foot pipe's worth?

10:26 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have some great ideas :) But no time to explain right now. Nevermind. Next time.

2:21 pm  

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