The highland plateaus of Ispir and Pazaryolu districts in Erzurum, eastern Türkiye, known for their rich flora, have been hosting migratory beekeepers for years.
These high-altitude areas, covered with endemic plants and surrounded by vast pastures, are among the most preferred regions for migratory beekeepers. Beekeepers from the Black Sea region, in particular, choose these plateaus for honey production due to the minimal use of agricultural pesticides, which contributes to the production of higher-quality honey.
Migratory beekeepers, who have made the region their seasonal home for many years, spend about six months of the year in the mountains caring for their hives and sustaining their livelihood through honey production.
Alpaslan Kenger, Erzurum’s provincial director of agriculture and forestry, said that the city currently hosts 136,000 registered beehives and welcomes around 200,000 migratory beekeepers during the honey season.
Kenger noted that interest in Erzurum has grown steadily each year due to its rich plant diversity, especially in the northern parts of the province. He explained: “The richness of our plant diversity contributes significantly to the quality of our honey. Migratory beekeepers have come to recognize this. Erzurum has now become a true hub for migratory beekeeping. The terrain in our northern regions is more rugged and varied, which leads to greater floral diversity."
"In areas like Ispir and Pazaryolu, the plant life is vibrant. Due to altitude variations ranging from 2,300 to 1,500 meters, we observe a diverse array of plants. Naturally, the honey produced in such areas is of higher quality and more valuable. That’s why beekeepers seeking premium honey are drawn to these zones,” he added.
Kenger added that there are beekeepers who return to Ispir and Pazaryolu every season, stating: “They’ve turned the summer season into a permanent setup here. We have regular migratory beekeepers who return each year. They also maintain great relationships with one another and contribute to each other’s production efforts.”
Yaşar Ali Aksoy, a beekeeper working in the rural area of Güneyköy in Ispir district, shared that he took up beekeeping, a family tradition, after retirement.
“In winter, we stay in Mersin, and in summer, we come here. The honey quality is excellent, and the location is close to us. I’ve been here for 30 years. Around 90% of the beekeepers in this area are from Rize. The local population here isn’t much interested in beekeeping, but we from Rize have kept the tradition alive,” Aksoy said.
He also mentioned that many beekeeping families migrate together from Rize and that about 100 beekeeping families and 3,000 hives are currently present in the area.
“Once the highland season begins, we don’t stay in Rize. We head here as early as April. There’s no humidity here, unlike our hometown, where it rains constantly. You can’t do this job unless you’re passionate about it. Thirty years ago, people grew a wide variety of crops, but not anymore. This area is completely natural and the honey is organic. There are no flowers here except wild mountain blossoms. In Rize, once someone retires, they buy 20 hives and say, ‘I’m going up to the highlands.’ This place has become just like that for us,” he added.
Kemal Şahin, a beekeeper from the Of district in Trabzon who has been in the business for 30 years, also shared his experience. For the past 15 years, he has returned to the same region every season.
“We’ve created a kind of family environment among the beekeepers here. We spend quality time together in the fresh mountain air,” Şahin said.
