The famous Pervari honey, called "kara kovan" by locals, will get its own 21-hectare forest in Siirt to improve the quality and quantity of the product.

The Pervari region in the southeast of the country is known for its rich flora. The Forestry Department's "Honey Forest Action Plan" also envisions the planting of acacia and juniper trees, which are especially liked by honeybees.

Siirt Forestry Department Manager Mehmet Ali Dedeoğlu said the project was a first in the province, adding that with a special area designated for honey, production will increase interest in the local honey making sector. "The cost of the plan is TL 170,000," he said.

Siirt Honey Makers Union Executive Board member Emin Enüştekin also underlined the importance of the project, arguing that honey bees which failed to find enough sustenance during summer months migrated to higher elevations, forcing producers to follow them to the plateaus.

"We saw heavy rain during the spring. However, this does not mean a boost in production. There were plenty of flowers but their nectars were low. That's why we had to move to the plateaus where flowers are much richer in nectar levels. The action plan will significantly help the sector. It will both increase the quality and quantity of the honey produced, and stop us from being forced to follow the bees to the plateaus," he said.

In a laboratory study commissioned by the Pervari Local Administration in 2013, it was found out that the water content of the local honey was 14 percent, acid content 13 percent. According to the analysis, Pervari honey is at least equal in quality to the world famous Anzer honey produced in the Black Sea coastal province of Rize.