PESHAWAR: Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) chairman Dr Shahzad Alam on Wednesday said a training institute would be set up in collaboration with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan to promote the business of honey production.

Addressing a seminar on ‘how to make honey business a profitable business’ here, the PCSIR chairman said the training institute would impart training to the people attached with the honey business to produce honey of international standard.

He said the PCSIR would give 10 percent discount on every test of honey quality to making the business profitable.

Dr Shahzad said the government would be urged to constitute a honey board and give interest-free microfinance loans to the people interested in the business.

He said the geography of KP was ideal for honey business as the province had rich natural and mineral resources required for the production of quality honey.

The PCSIR chairman said honey of the best quality was being produced in Karak, Buner, Waziristan, Swabi and Peshawar districts, which could be exported to Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries and thus, bringing huge foreign reserves to the country.

He said honey business could provide employment opportunities to women and make them self-sufficient.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2019