Apiaries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are sites designated for beekeeping and care in the Kingdom under the supervision of the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture. The Kingdom’s diverse climate and topography create ideal conditions for beekeeping and year-round honey produced by the apiaries.
Types of apiaries in Saudi Arabia
Beekeepers in the Kingdom follow two beekeeping methods: Mobile apiaries and stationary apiaries. Furthermore, apiaries are classified into two types: Hobbyist apiaries and commercial apiaries, each with specific requirements. Hobbyist apiaries are often established by beginners and small-scale beekeepers in backyards, recreational farms, rooftops, or private gardens. Commercial apiaries, however, are established based on their intended purpose and are classified as either general or specialized, depending on their production goals.
Conditions for commercial apiaries in Saudi Arabia
The Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture requires hobbyist apiaries to use calm, non-aggressive bee strains and maintain a limited number of colonies suitable for the available space and surrounding flowering plants. Commercial apiaries, on the other hand, are established based on specific production goals, such as honey and beeswax production, royal jelly harvesting, bee packages, or breeding pure mated queens in isolated areas dedicated to particular bee strains.
Establishing commercial apiaries requires selecting a suitable location characterized by proximity to orchards and fields rich in flowering plants. The site should also be near transportation routes while remaining isolated from public roads to avoid endangering passersby. Additionally, it must be protected from pests and harmful animals and located far from areas prone to earthquakes, flooding, or fire hazards.
Apiary permits in protected areas
Protected areas in the Kingdom issue permits for apiaries under specific technical and environmental standards aimed at conserving wildlife and enhancing plant and crop pollination.
In May 2024, King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority announced the opening of applications for apiary permits in the reserve, provided beekeepers adhere to regulations set by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.
The authority established fourteen regulations for issuing apiary permits, including prohibiting mobile apiaries inside pastures, adhering to existing dirt roads around the apiaries, and avoiding the creation of new routes to preserve vegetation cover. Additionally, maintaining cleanliness in the area and preventing all types of waste disposal are mandatory. Apiary sites within the reserve are distributed between "Rawdat al-Khashm," hosting thirty-one apiaries, and "Rawdat Umm al-Dhiyabah," accommodating forty-three apiaries.
Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority has designated seventy-nine sites for beekeeping within and around the reserve, following controls and provisions aimed at protecting wildlife and ensuring ecological sustainability. Each beekeeper has been allocated a three-km² plot to support and assist the local community in developing honey production programs.
On the training front, Imam Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority launched the "Beekeeping Basics" program aimed at boosting entrepreneurial ventures, fostering economic and productive projects, marketing and promoting local community products, and empowering youth through promising programs and initiatives that benefit the reserve's resources. The program also focuses on building participants' skills and qualifying them to obtain licenses for beekeeping and honey production within the reserve.
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