Beekeepers in Ordu, a leading honey-producing region in Turkey, are protesting against a…

Beekeepers in Ordu, a leading honey-producing region in Turkey, are protesting against a proposed fee of 100 Turkish lira per hive for "Ecosystem Service Fees" in forested areas. Akın Çiftçi, President of the Ordu Beekeepers Association (ORAYBİR), stated that producers are already facing a challenging season and this new regulation could worsen their situation.

The regulation, effective from June 18, 2026, under the "Regulation on Beekeeping Activities in Honey Forests and Forest Areas," mandates a fee from beekeepers using forested land. Çiftçi emphasized that this fee would impose a significant financial burden on producers, noting that a beekeeper with 400 hives would need to pay around 40,000 lira, in addition to local payments to village administrations.