Al Wathba Honey Festival promotes Emirati beekeepers

Abu Dhabi: The Al Wathba Honey Festival kicked off this weekend with the participation of 100 beekeepers from across the UAE, along with 60 specialised companies involved in honey production and beekeeping.

This festival is one of the key events accompanying the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award at its dedicated pavilion within the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

Running until February 9, the festival aims to support local honey producers and Emirati beekeepers, enhance their expertise, and introduce them to the latest global innovations and technologies in honey production and beekeeping. It also serves to promote Emirati honey products, educate the public on their unique health benefits, and highlight their distinct qualities.

A specialised evaluation committee, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, is responsible for assessing honey samples submitted for the festival’s competitions. Rigorous laboratory tests are conducted to ensure the honey meets strict quality standards, including purity, absence of foreign substances, wax residues, and crystallisation, as well as colour consistency and the absence of air bubbles.

Eng. Saeed Al Yamahi, a member of the Supreme Organising Committee of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award and Chairman of Al Wathba Honey Festival, emphasised that the festival reflects Abu Dhabi’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and national food security.

He highlighted the efforts of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority in improving Emirati honeybee breeds and developing an optimal environment for beekeeping, calling it a model for achieving sustainable agricultural development. These initiatives, he said, contribute to biodiversity conservation and increased reliance on local production.

Eng. Abdullah Hassan Al Maeeni, Executive Director of the Central Testing Laboratory Sector at the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, affirmed that the council’s participation aligns with a comprehensive strategy to enhance the quality of local products and ensure they meet the highest global standards. He emphasised that advanced laboratory testing for honey helps build consumer confidence and boosts the reputation of Emirati honey both locally and internationally.

The Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award has a total prize pool of Dh10 million, distributed across four main categories and 13 sub-awards, in addition to 87 competitions held as part of the Sheikh Zayed Festival.