At an altitude of 2,625 meters (8,610 feet) in the Beytüşşebap district of Şırnak, located in southeastern Türkiye, Faraşin Plateau has become a prime destination for traveling beekeepers due to its abundant and diverse vegetation.
Located in the triangle of Şırnak, Hakkari and Van, the plateau’s expansive pastures, cool climate and abundant water sources make it a favorite among beekeepers as well as livestock breeders.
According to data from the Beekeeping Registration System and applications made to provincial and district agriculture and forestry directorates, 300 registered traveling beekeepers from cities such as Adana, Osmaniye, Diyarbakır, Mardin and Van are producing honey in thousands of hives on the plateau.
Beekeepers sleep in tents, caravans or containers at night and spend their days caring for their bees and hives.
Medet Seymen, a beekeeper from Adana, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the Faraşin Plateau is highly suitable for beekeeping due to its endemic plants.
Seymen, who has been a traveling beekeeper for 28 years, said: "This year, we chose Faraşin Plateau, one of Türkiye's rare plateaus at an altitude of 2,625 meters. It is extremely suitable for beekeeping. There are many different plant species here. Starting in early May, the snow melts, and flowers start to bloom. A new flower blooms every week here. The flora is very beautiful, with hundreds of flower and plant varieties such as clover, bull thistle and lavender."
Seymen expressed that they came to this plateau because of the tranquility it offers and because they are very satisfied with the potential. "The more nectar bees collect from nature, the more the aroma, taste, quality and scent of the honey improve. Faraşin Plateau has a lush environment and a diverse range of plants, providing a beautiful natural setting," he noted. He expects a high yield of honey.
Beekeeper Dılgeş Aslan also stated that the plateau is well-suited for beekeeping. He noted that many traveling beekeepers have come this year, saying: "The richness of the plant life attracts beekeepers. Even in mid-July, there are still snow patches in the region, which is a significant advantage for us; livestock breeders and beekeepers flock here because of this richness."
Muhammet Kadim from Mardin also mentioned that they prefer the Faraşin Plateau and expect a good honey yield.
Oktay Sezgin, Şırnak's provincial director of agriculture and forestry, stated that the plateau offers a highly fertile environment for beekeeping.
Sezgin emphasized that the area has a high concentration of beekeepers and bee lodging points in the region. "With the abundant rainfall this year, our flora has also been enriched with endemic plants. We expect over 600 tons of honey," he said.
Sezgin mentioned that there are 80,000 beehives in the region this year, with 30,000 of them brought to Faraşin Plateau. He added that beekeepers will benefit from the area until the end of October and that the honey produced here is high quality, as shown by the results of the analysis, making it popular among consumers.
