Oman participates in Doha Honey Market expo

Twenty-five leading Omani honey producers are participating in the Seasonal Honey Market Exhibition, which opens in Doha — Qatar on Thursday.

The weeklong event is the largest specialized honey exhibition of its kind in the Gulf region and offers niche Omani honey producers the opportunity to display and promote their products as well as goods related to the trade and production of honey.

Increasing awareness of the health benefits of honey particularly among the region’s millennials as well as the increasing preference for natural sweeteners in the food and beverages industry are major factors boosting the growth of the honey market. Between 2017-2023 industry experts expect the global honey market to grow at 6.72 per cent CAGR.

According to Nasima al Balushi, Ithraa’s Director General for Export Development & Investment Promotion: “Oman’s honey industry is relatively small compared with honey heavyweights such as China, Turkey and Argentina. However, with a commodity worth more per litre than oil, and honey attracting higher wholesale prices, many local producers are increasing hive numbers and improving infrastructure. All the health and food trends suggest this is a good time to be in the honey business.”

Ithraa’s Director General pointed out: “Honey is the ultimate local food, coming from the nectar the bees have gathered from within a few kilometres of the hive,” she says. “This is part of the real charm and quality of good honey, a jarful contains a time and place in Oman.”

Al Balushi concluded: “This is the second time we have organised an Omani pavilion at the Seasonal Honey Market in Doha. We have more than doubled the number of participating firms. In fact, Oman’s pavilion will be the largest at this year’s show. It’s an event everyone is looking forward to.”