The harvest of the world-famous black box honey continues in Bitlis.

The harvest of the wild hive honey produced in the high-altitude mountains of Bitlis, which has won gold awards worldwide several times, continues.

The start of the harvest of wild hive honey in Bitlis is considered an important development for local producers and honey lovers. This honey stands out with its natural production methods and unique taste. Produced in special hives made from willow branches, surrounded by clay and manure, the expectations for wild hive honey this year are high. In Bitlis, one of the provinces with the latest harvests in Turkey, the quality of the honey is scientifically highlighted.

Wild hive honey, which is sold for 1,500 to 2,000 Turkish Lira per kilogram, is in high demand both from the city center and across the country. Organic honeys produced in hives that are left in high-altitude plateaus during the spring months, where a rich flora exists, are harvested, and the honey obtained has a worldwide quality.

The organic wild hive honey produced by bees from thousands of plant essences in the plateaus of Bitlis, at an altitude of 2,500 meters, is preferred by many. The long and arduous efforts put into it, along with the patience required, result in a high yield of wild hive honey this year, just like its quality.

Güven Güngördü, a beekeeper from Bitlis, expressed that they continue the beekeeping profession passed down from their ancestors, stating, “Since the weather has cooled down, we have started harvesting wild hive honey. We are cutting our hives in this plateau at 2,300 meters altitude. Wild hive honey is harvested in October and November because this honey needs to be exposed to cold. Bitlis honey is of very high quality due to the abundance of endemic plants. 72% of the overall area of Bitlis consists of arid land, making these areas very suitable for beekeeping. One of the reasons our honey is of high quality is that the proline levels are very high. Any beekeeper from Bitlis who has participated in national and international competitions has always won awards. This reflects well on the advertisement of Bitlis honey. This year, our yield is good. We are getting an average of 7-8 kilos of honey per hive, whereas in previous years it was limited to 3 to 5 kilos. I believe we will have a good harvest of wild hive honey in the Bitlis region this year.”