Emirati Honey Sector Gains Momentum As Sharjah Chamber Supports Local Beekeepers

The Al Dhaid Honey Festival is helping turn beekeeping in Sharjah into a stronger economic activity. The event gives local producers a central venue to present Emirati honey, attract buyers, and discuss production standards. It also connects small businesses with wider markets in the UAE and beyond.

Through the festival, producers display well-known types such as Sidr and Samar honey, along with rare varieties from local apiaries. These exhibits reflect the UAE’s diverse natural environments, especially desert and mountain pastures. The event also highlights how beekeeping supports rural areas in Sharjah and nearby regions.

The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry links the Al Dhaid Honey Festival with a wider economic plan. The Chamber works to strengthen specialised national industries, with a focus on beekeeping and honey production. It aims to enhance the role of entrepreneurs and SME owners in the local economy.

This approach aligns with the Sharjah Executive Council’s framework for preserving natural grazing areas and protecting native bee breeds. The plan introduces updated rules for licensing beekeepers and organising apiary locations. These measures are designed to move beekeeping away from informal practices and towards a sustainable economic system.

The Chamber supports honey producers through expanded marketing channels, technical guidance, and improved logistics. Training activities at and around the Al Dhaid Honey Festival encourage the exchange of best practices in bee breeding and hive management. Better supply chains help maintain quality while increasing production volumes for local and export markets.

Food security is a key focus of these programmes, which follow the directives of the UAE leadership. By backing Emirati honey, the Chamber contributes to a more diverse national food basket. The initiatives also help preserve Sharjah’s environmental and cultural heritage linked to traditional beekeeping.

Al Dhaid Honey Festival and economic empowerment in the honey sector

Mohammed Musbeh Al Tunaiji, Director of the Al Dhaid branch and General Coordinator of the festival, explained that the Chamber’s strategy empowers beekeepers economically, ensures product quality, and opens regional and global export opportunities. He noted that the sector’s growing success reflects increasing confidence in Emirati honey and the Chamber’s role in providing innovative marketing platforms.

Al Tunaiji stated that the Al Dhaid Honey Festival creates a supportive environment for new talent and start-up projects in the honey field. The event encourages participants to focus on sustainability and continuous improvement. This, in turn, supports long-term sector growth and encourages more investors to consider honey-related activities.

Al Dhaid Honey Festival and international recognition of Emirati honey

Beekeepers taking part in the Al Dhaid Honey Festival expressed appreciation for the Chamber’s role in promoting Emirati honey. Ahmed Al Mazrouei noted that the festival and its competitions motivate producers, raise consumer awareness, and showcase the nutritional and medicinal value of honey. Producers see these contests as useful benchmarks for quality.

Another participant, Yousef Al Mazrouei, emphasised that the festival provided a platform to gain expertise and adopt the latest production methods. His company won first place at the festival and fifth globally at the London International Honey Awards, demonstrating the international competitiveness of Emirati products.

Commenting on wider sector growth, Mohammed Mahfouz Salem said that the Chamber’s backing reinforces national products and supports expansion in this promising field. The combined efforts of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Al Dhaid Honey Festival, and local beekeepers are helping position Emirati honey as a reliable product in regional and global markets.

With inputs from WAM