The Ministry of Industry and Trade is set to launch a national project to enhance the capabilities of Yemeni honey enterprises.

Yemen Launches Initiative to Boost Honey Production

In a significant step towards enhancing the honey industry, a comprehensive meeting took place today in Aden, the temporary capital of Yemen. The meeting, led by Mohammed Al-Humaidi, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade for Foreign Trade, marked the official launch of a project aimed at strengthening the capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises involved in the Yemeni honey value chain.

Project Goals and Vision

The primary objective of this initiative is to bridge the gap between local production and modern international trade requirements. The project will implement an integrated system that focuses on capacity building, improving quality standards, enhancing value chains, and facilitating access to competitive foreign markets. This comprehensive vision aims not only to increase exports but also to restore the global reputation of Yemeni honey. The initiative emphasizes effective partnerships among various stakeholders in the value chain, ensuring that local products meet the highest standards of quality and excellence.

Strategic Importance

During the meeting, Al-Humaidi highlighted that this project serves as a foundational element for developing a national strategy for the global Yemeni product industry. He noted the ministry’s commitment to a series of policies and measures designed to ease honey export restrictions. Additionally, the ministry plans to conduct technical studies to establish a specialized department for quality testing of Yemeni honey, safeguarding it against fraud and enhancing its reliability in international markets.

Commitment to Quality Standards

Eng. Hadeed Al-Mas, Director General of the Yemeni Standards, Metrology, and Quality Control Authority, reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to supporting the project. He emphasized the need to update standard specifications, enhance inspection and monitoring systems, and develop mechanisms for verifying quality and safety. These efforts aim to build trust in Yemeni products within regional and international markets, ensuring that honey meets the highest accepted standards.

Global Support for the Initiative

In a virtual address, Professor Samuel Goodfroy, President of the Global Organization for Food Legislation, praised the initiative as a qualitative step towards connecting traditional local production with the global food trade system. He expressed the organization’s readiness to provide technical and knowledge support in legislative alignment and the implementation of best international practices. This support aims to enhance the competitiveness of Yemeni honey and restore its historical significance.

Key Participants

The meeting featured a presentation of the project’s commercial framework and its executive methodology. Notable attendees included Dr. Zaki Al-Rabou’i, Head of the International Cooperation Department at the Gulf Standards Organization, Dr. Eli You Yazbek, GFORSSA Project Coordinator, Dr. Hassan Omar, Program Coordinator and Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at AFTIS, and Ramzi Al-Ghalabi, President of the Beekeepers Association.

This initiative represents a pivotal moment for Yemen’s honey industry, promising to elevate its status on the global stage while ensuring quality and sustainability.

To follow the news in Arabic