ISLAMABAD, Jun 9 (APP): The Billion Tree Honey Initiative would enhance existing potential of honey production to 70,000 metric tons from the same harvest by using modern bee keeping techniques that would add billions of rupees in national revenue and generate green employment.
According to the Economic Survey 2021-22 launched by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail along with Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir, and Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Aisha Ghaus Pasha, here Thursday, this initiative was launched as a coherent effort of different Ministries and Agencies to promote apiculture in the country.
“It is estimated that the existing forest resource will increase to about 5.5 million hectares after addition of new areas being planted and regenerated under Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Plantation project (TBTTP) by FY2022-23”, it said.
The Survey also estimated that about 10,000 bee keepers were using 300,000 colonies for producing 7,500 metric tons of honey annually. “The potential can be enhanced to produce 70,000 metric tons of honey from the same harvest by using modern bee keeping gears, training on latest techniques, standardization and certification of the product and intensive marketing”, the Survey said.
It was also anticipated that marketing of 70,000 metric tons of honey would generate an income of about Rs 20-25 billion in the national economy and provide about 87,000 green jobs.