KP makes first honey shipment to Malaysia

In a shift from traditional Middle Eastern markets, the first consignment of Sidr honey from Khyber Pakhtu­nkhwa has reached Mala­ysia, reviving hopes that the province’s honey harvesting industry will get a boost in the coming months.

This new market opportunity is expected to boost KP’s beekeeping sector, whi­ch holds the second-hig­hest export potential after carpet manufacturing, but growth has stagnated for the past many years due to several factors.

KP produces between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes of honey annually, though only a fraction is exported, primarily to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Dubai. There has been no direct route for exporting honey to Europe, as most Pakistani honey is repackaged in Yemen and then sold under Yemeni brands in Europe and the United States.