For four years, Abdul Rahim had tirelessly pursued his dream of harvesting honey from wild bees. After much effort, his persistence paid off, and now he manages two thriving wild bee hives, collecting up to 30 kilograms of honey from each annually.
A beekeeper for the past 30 years, Abdul Rahim calls the village of “Deh Baba Ali” in the Abshar district of Panjshir his home.
“I was very eager to tame them. I catch them and keep them inside a box, but I don’t open the box too often. They should not be disturbed too much. In July, when they don’t have enough food, they fly away. Each box can yield 60 to 70 kilograms of honey,” Abdul Rahim says.
According to Abdul Rahim, the honey from wild bees, with its superior taste, offers twice the profit without the need for costly maintenance. It has attracted the attention of beekeepers across Panjshir.
“Wild bees produce 30 kilograms of honey annually. It differs greatly in taste, smell, color, and price. We sell one kilogram for 2,500 afghanis, while the domesticated bees’ honey costs between 800 to 1,000 afghanis per kilogram,” he added.
Abdul Rahim also mentions that wild bees are more resistant to diseases. However, taming more of them to harvest honey is a difficult task.
According to the Panjshir Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Directorate, 3,482 kilograms of honey have been produced and brought to market this year from 56 farms and 995 hives in the province.
The Directorate states that most of the honeybees in Panjshir are of Italian and Caucasian breeds. It also adds that nearly 1,000 people in the province are involved in beekeeping.
