Sweet buzz at Hatta
dubai — With its picture-perfect mountains, Hatta is a popular draw for tourists. Now, the enclave is literally a sweet draw for honeybees, too, for it is now home to the Middle East’s first queen bee-rearing station.
Hatta Honey is one of the most advanced apiaries and bee rearing centre in the world. “It is equipped with 800 beehives and has the capacity to breed up to 100,000 queen bees annually,” said Mohammed Al Najeh, the owner of Al Najeh Honey Farm.
The centre, once complete, will produce a whopping 300 tonnes of honey annually. It’s the first centre in the world to rear the ‘Saskatraz’ queen bee outside of Canada and North America. Native to the Saskatchewan province in western Canada, the bee has a lifespan of three to four years.
dubai — Located deep in the inland exclave of Hatta, Hatta Honey, the Middle East’s first queen beerearing station, was officially launched on Wednesday. A joint partnership with the UAE government and two UAE-based honey and bee manufacturing companies — Hatta Honey and Al Najeh Honey — the facility is one of the most advanced apiaries and bee-rearing centres in the world.
“The Hatta Honey rearing centre is equipped with 800 beehives and has the capacity to breed up to 100,000 queen bees annually,” said Mohammed Al Najeh, the owner of Al Najeh Honey farm.
“We’ve begun retailing the product, which is now available in a store called ‘The Hive’ at the Global Village,” added Al Nahej.
The completely sustainable centre was launched as part of the Hatta Honey Festival, one of the developmental projects within the Comprehensive Hatta Development Plan, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Hatta Honey is the first centre in the world to rear the ‘Saskatraz’ queen bee outside of Canada and North America. Currently, the company produces 17 tonnes of honey every year; once completed, it will produce 300 tonnes of honey.
The Saskatraz bees have a shiny golden sheen and produce huge
Hatta honey rearing centre is equipped with 800 beehives and has capacity to breed up to 100,000 queen bees annually.” Mohammed Al Najeh, owner, Al Najeh Honey farm
Hatta has a long history of honey production. We’ve set this up in the best interest to protect the species.” Manea Al Kaabi, general director, Hatta Honey
amounts of honey and the queen bee of this breed is truly unique. Native to the Saskatchewan province in Western Canada, the Saskatraz queen bee has a lifespan of three to four years and is one of those gentle breeds of queen bees in the world, according to Al Najeh.
Manea Al Kaabi, the general director of Hatta Honey, told Khaleej Times that the project has been underway for some time now.
“Hatta has a long history of honey production and over 20 varieties of honey are manufactured in this region. We’ve set this up in the best interests of protecting the species,” he said.
Though the Hatta Honey queen bee rearing centre was buzzing with the collective hum of several million bees, it was hardly a frightening sight. The bees have been adapted to the local climate, and all facilities are being put in place to keep them healthy for the summer as well.
As if to convince us of that, Al Nahej dipped his hand into a beehive and cupped several honey bees into his palm. “Look how gentle they are… they don’t sting at all, unless provoked,” he said.