Omani Honey Market opens

Muscat: The 13^th Oman Honey Market was opened under the auspices of Dr Hamad bin Said al Aufi, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries at the Muscat Grand Mall, on Wednesday. As many as 62 beekeepers are showcasing some 6.5 tonnes of the best quality honey at the Oman Honey Market which runs from December 25 to 28.

Many types of Omani honey are in display at the market including wild honey which was sold at a record RO 120 for a kilogramme while a 1-kg honeycomb fetched RO 70.

Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in cooperation with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) as part of a series of Omani honey markets organised twice a year. The events are aimed to spread knowledge about indigenous honey and bring together honey makers and consumers.

Engineer Khatir bin Mohammed al Alawi, Director of Agriculture and Animal Marketing Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said that through organising the Omani Honey Market, the ministry targets to support small and medium enterprises specialising in honey products by opening new markets for them as well as promoting the Omani honey which is known for its high quality and nutritional value. Al Alawi added that the products at the market underwent testing by food experts to ensure the quality of the products displayed at the Market.

The ministry’s stall at the Oman Honey Market seeks to acquaint the visitors with the ministry’s efforts in the field of honey breeding. It also displays a wide range of tools that are required by beekeepers. The number of beekeepers in the Sultanate has reached 5,336 with 112,068 honeycombs that produced 672,208 kg of honey in 2018.