RIYADH: The moderate climate and abundant flowering trees in the Tihama area of the Baha region attract thousands of beekeepers with hives, creating an ideal environment for honey production from seasonal and mountainous blossoms.
Beekeeper Mohammed Al-Zahrani said that migration from the Sarawat Mountains to Tihama is driven by favorable climate, rainfall, and tree diversity, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He added that this move revitalizes bees after the ziziphus spina-christi season when their population drops, offering fresh pastures for reproduction.
Beekeeper Ali Al-Ghamdi explained that relocating to the governorates of Qalwa, Al-Hujrah, and Wadi Al-Ahsabah provides bees with a year-round food supply and protection from the cold mountain temperatures that can be fatal.
He stressed that beekeeping requires endurance, knowledge, and experience but remains an important and valuable industry, the SPA reported.
Beekeeper Saleh Al-Omari highlighted the coordination among beekeepers in choosing apiary sites, ensuring proper spacing to prevent crossbreeding, promote nutrition, and avoid disease.
Mohammed Al-Shadwi, chairman of the Beekeepers Cooperative Association in Baha, said around 3,000 beekeepers are registered with the association, including professionals with over 1,000 hives and amateurs with about 100. They represent 16 percent of the Kingdom’s total beekeepers.
The region produces 20 percent of Saudi Arabia’s honey annually, totaling around 1,000 tonnes across 15 varieties, according to the SPA.
