The agricultural development group for beekeepers in the governorate of Zaghouan announced on Sunday the launch of an initiative to hatch more than 10,000 beehives during the autumn and winter seasons to compensate for the damage suffered by hives due to drought.

Wahid Ferjani, chairman of the grouping, told TAP this initiative will help make up for the huge shortfall in the number of hives damaged by the heatwave and drought for three consecutive years.

He said the deterioration in pasture management has driven up the price of concentrates and pesticides.

As a result, 50% of all hives have been damaged.

The official stressed the need to support beekeepers in order to save this resource, which is a source of income for many families in the region and one of the foundations of the region's development.

He called for the beekeeping sector to be included in the project to develop and promote the agricultural sector in Zaghouan governorate.

For his part, Nabil Nagguara, a member of the Arab Union of Beekeepers, stressed in a statement to TAP the organisation's willingness to come to the aid of beekeepers in order to overcome this difficult situation.

He called for the implementation of a strategy to develop the sector and protect it from diseases by strengthening the technical training of beekeepers.

It is more important than ever to find new techniques to protect against natural disasters, he said, and to help beekeepers market their products on national and international markets.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse