Hosted by our university and organized with the support of the Artvin Governorship, Artvin…

Hosted by our university and organized with the support of the Artvin Governorship, Artvin Commodity Exchange, Artvin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Artvin Beekeepers Association, the "Artvin Honey Workshop" was held on Thursday, April 9, 2026, with broad participation at the Nihat Gökyiğit Congress and Culture Center. In the program, where the current status, problems, and future strategies of the beekeeping sector were scientifically examined, academics, producers, and public representatives came together on a common platform.

Rector Prof. Dr. Aydın: "Our University Will Be the North Star of the City"
In his opening speech at the workshop, our Rector Prof. Dr. İbrahim Aydın expressed his pride in serving his ancestral land of Artvin as he completed his first year in office. Emphasizing that universities should not be confined to their campus walls, Prof. Dr. Aydın conveyed the following messages regarding university-city integration:
"We will not be stuck in a classical university management understanding that only focuses on the campus. Our university will be the 'North Star' of this city; it will open the way for the city in every field from economy to agriculture, from trade to tourism. We must transform the challenging geographical conditions of Artvin into a blessing by combining them with our rich plant diversity and scientific strength. Today, we aim to convert the brainpower of our approximately 650 scientists into added value for the development of our city."

"There Should Be No Compromise on Honey Quality"
Drawing a strategic roadmap for Artvin honey to gain the value it deserves in the world, Rector Prof. Dr. Aydın stated that they maintain a non-compromising stance on quality preservation. He expressed that the high value-added Artvin honey should not be trivialized and listed three main priorities as follows:
“Protecting Quality: Our first priority is to protect the quality of our honey and bees at all costs.
Control Mechanism: A serious control and organizational structure must be established for the continuity of quality.
Marketing at True Value: By determining the true value of the products, we must prevent them from being sold below their deserved price.”

Full Support with an Internationally Accredited Laboratory
Rector Prof. Dr. Aydın stated that they mobilized all the university's resources to develop beekeeping on scientific foundations; he emphasized that they are always alongside producers with the internationally accredited honey laboratory and the Beekeeping Application and Research Center. He also added that in line with AÇÜ's specialization goals, they are working not only on honey but also in areas such as salmon fishing and tourism for the development of the city.

Deputy Governor Erdoğan: "Artvin is the Strategic Center of Beekeeping"
Speaking at the workshop, Artvin Deputy Governor İsmail Erdoğan emphasized that Artvin is one of Turkey's beekeeping capitals with its nearly 2,700 plant species and unique ecological values such as the Macehel Biosphere Reserve. He noted that the annual production of Artvin honey, approaching 1,400 tons, creates a tremendous value for the city’s economy and drew attention to the investments made to convert this situation into added value:
"The Honey Filling and Packaging Facility, which we opened a few months ago and has a daily filling capacity of 5 tons, is a significant gain for our sector. This modern facility not only processes honey but also enables the production of by-products such as royal jelly, pollen, and bee bread, thereby increasing the added value in the sector. Our goal is to brand Artvin honey and elevate it to the level it deserves in global markets by collaborating with our university, public institutions, and non-governmental organizations."
At the opening of the program, speeches were also made by Osman Akyürek, President of the Artvin Commodity Exchange, Seçkin Kurt, President of the Artvin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and İbrahim Durmuş, President of the Artvin Beekeepers Association, followed by the workshop panel.

Details on Artvin Beekeeping Were Discussed in Three Critical Sessions
The workshop panel, moderated by Hacettepe University Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Aslı Özkırım, was enriched by presentations on 'The Registration Process of the Caucasian Race' by Prof. Dr. İrfan Kandemir from Ankara University, 'Bee Products Other Than Honey' by Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Tuğba Nigar Bozkuş, Director of our Beekeeping Application and Research Center, and 'Problems and Responsibilities of Beekeepers' by Kazım Doğan, Vice President of the Turkish Beekeepers Central Union. At the end of the panel, which attracted significant interest from Artvin beekeepers, they conveyed their ideas, problems, and suggestions to the workshop table and received feedback from relevant institutions, organizations, and academics.