In Taif, Saudi Arabia, beekeepers are innovating honey production while upholding time-honored traditions. These artisans meticulously manage every stage, ensuring the high quality of Taif honey, which is renowned in the region.
Taif's diverse landscape, encompassing the Tihama lowlands and Sarawat highlands, is crucial to this success. This area boasts a rich variety of wild flora, including aromatic shrubs and indigenous plants like acacia tortilis, sweet acacia, and Astragalus. The area also hosts distinctive mountain vegetation and the acacia asak plants, all considered premium honey-producing species.
Each year, beekeepers migrate seasonally from the Sarawat mountains and Ghazwan peaks to warmer climates, transporting millions of bees to locations like Al-Buhaita Wild Park, a vital site for Taif's honey production. This practice, deeply rooted in the region's cultural heritage, has been passed down through generations. Taif has established itself as a distinctive hub with its specialized honey market and diverse bee products, anchored by a vibrant weekly honey auction.