‘Liquid gold’ production needs support: Kazakhstan to allocate millions to support beekeeping

According to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Kazakhstan will allocate $1.12 million over the next three years to support the national beekeeping industry. This statement was made in response to an inquiry from Senator Zakirzhan Kuziyev, who proposed amending the beekeeping law and imposing stricter checks on imported honey.

«The Ministry of Agriculture has developed a draft roadmap for the development of the beekeeping industry for 2025-2027, which is now being discussed with the industry associations… About $1.12 million has been allocated for the next three years,» Bektenov stated in his response.

The prime minister also noted that the ministry has already established a working group to examine current issues related to the development of beekeeping in the country.

According to Kuziyev, Kazakhstani beekeepers produced 4,000 tons of honey in 2023. He claimed that this is nearly nothing in comparison to the 1990s when the apiarists could yield up to 50,000 tons of the product.

«Beekeepers have been seeking public subsidies for years as they have been unable to export domestic products abroad. According to the Bureau of National Statistics, Kazakhstan produced over 4,000 tons of honey last year, with only 222 tons (5.5%) exported abroad,» the inquiry reads.

As the prime minister noted, there are 416 laboratories responsible for veterinary and sanitary inspections of animal products, including honey, in Kazakhstan. Based on this, Bektenov is confident that there is no need for citizens to worry about low-quality imported products flooding the Kazakhstani market.

Beekeeping in Kazakhstan is primarily conducted by individual households rather than large-scale farms. The COVID-19 pandemic increased demand for honey produced by rural apiarists. Meanwhile, exports of pure honey reached their highest levels in 2023, growing 3.5 times compared to 2022, despite a 28% decline in 2021.