Beekeeping is developing rapidly in Shymkent. Previously, the domestic market and exports to Russia dominated, but today Shymkent honey products are beginning to enter new markets in Central Asia and the Asian region. Laboratory tests conducted in recent years have proven that the honey produced by Shymkent beekeepers is environmentally friendly and of high quality. This, in turn, increases the competitiveness of domestic products and allows them to enter the international market.

According to the Shymkent Department of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, the number of registered apiaries in the city has increased significantly. If in 2020 there were about 8 thousand beehives, now their number exceeds 18 thousand. This indicator indicates a more than twofold increase in just five years. Such success is primarily due to targeted state support and the effectiveness of subsidy programs.

The rules for subsidizing beekeeping in Kazakhstan have been changed. Previously, financial support was mainly directed towards selection, but today the state provides direct subsidies for each kilogram of product produced. This approach encourages apiary owners to adapt to market requirements, produce quality products, and sell them successfully.

As industry experts say, a few years ago the main goal of beekeepers was simply to preserve the apiary and create conditions for the bees to live, but now, in addition, "finding an opportunity to sell the produced product" has become an important task. That is, the profession of Kazakhstani beekeepers is now directed not to the shadow market, but to open and legal trade.

Sagdat Makhanov, head of the department of agriculture and veterinary medicine of Shymkent, positively assesses these changes:

"In 2020, the number of registered beehives was about 8 thousand, but today it has exceeded 18 thousand. This is the result of constant state support. Beekeepers are expanding their farms and increasing production volumes every year."

One of the oldest farms today is a family apiary, founded in the last century. This farm is now run by professional beekeepers - the Demidov family. According to the farm representative Irina Demidova, the modernization of the subsidy mechanism will help transform the apiary business from a "secret profession" into a legal and civilized industry:

"Now, many beekeepers are planning to enter into official contracts with retail chains and supermarkets and sell their products legally. This will not only increase competition, but also allow consumers to get high-quality honey."

Thus, small farms are also beginning to have additional opportunities to market their products.

Scientists from Shymkent are developing new, highly productive and friendly bee breeds suitable for local climatic conditions. Work in this direction has not stopped.

According to scientist-beekeeper Roza Shimelkova:

"The value of breeding work will never be lost. Every beekeeper needs bees that are friendly, disease-resistant, and produce abundant honey. We are working in that direction."

These achievements will contribute to the long-term sustainability and increased product quality of Shymkent apiaries.

Today, Shymkent honey is exported to Russia, Uzbekistan, and China. In the future, there are plans to enter the markets of Iran, Qatar, and other Middle Eastern countries. The natural conditions of Kazakhstan allow for the production of environmentally friendly products, and this is the main quality indicator for international experts and consumers.

Our country's honey products are receiving positive reviews at international exhibitions and forums. Alfalfa, flower, and herb honeys are particularly in demand for export.

Since honey is not a socially significant product, it is not subject to price stabilization measures. Therefore, the sale of the product largely depends on the marketing capabilities of the producer.

While large apiaries are able to establish large-scale partnerships with retail chains, such an opportunity is not always available to small beekeepers. In this regard, industry experts note the effectiveness of creating cooperatives.

Beekeepers believe that by joining forces, a number of problems can be solved:

Joint certification
Creating a unified brand
Meet export requirements together
Facilitate negotiations with retail chains

This will allow Kazakhstani honey to become an internationally recognized brand.

Beekeeping in Shymkent is one of the most promising areas of agriculture. State support, scientific achievements, and market expansion have given the industry a new impetus. The pace of honey exports is increasing, the quality of the product is high, and demand is growing every year.

The future goal is to turn Shymkent honey into a stable brand in the world market, develop new export destinations, and further increase the competitiveness of domestic products.

Natural, ecologically clean Shymkent honey is the pride of Kazakhstan. Therefore, beekeepers intend to continue to strengthen their work in this direction.