Beekeeping Tradition in Librazhd: “Honey Festival” Celebrates Local Farmers and Products

 Beekeeping in the Librazhd region of Albania is a long-standing tradition, and for the past seven years, the town has hosted the annual "Honey Festival" to celebrate its beekeepers and their products. This year, around 200 farmers participated in the event, showcasing a wide variety of honey and beekeeping products unique to the area.

 During the "Honey Festival" in Librazhd

One of the regular participants, Floreta Sula, shared her deep connection to beekeeping with Euronews Albania. "I have been working with bees since childhood, inheriting this passion from my father, who was a beekeeper before me. He is no longer with us, and now I carry on the tradition. My goal is to preserve beekeeping, not just for profit, but for the love and passion I have for it," said the 44-year-old beekeeper.

Sula emphasized the importance of producing honey without the use of harmful substances. "We produce everything without antibiotics because these chemicals harm the bees more than the honey itself. I have loyal customers every year, but I wish there was a better system for collecting and valuing these village products. They are treasures, and we need to recognize the value of what we hold in our hands," she explained.

The region of Librazhd is known for its unique varieties of honey, including chestnut honey, wildflower honey, and pine honey. However, not all beekeepers had a fruitful year. Qani Shebeku, another local farmer, explained that weather conditions affected this year's honey production. "This year wasn't great because the weather turned cold when the bees needed to gather honey. Instead, they consumed more of their reserves. We come from Qukës to the festival to help promote and sell our honey, and it's a great opportunity for us," he shared.

Currently, the Librazhd municipality is home to over 6,000 beehives, making it one of the leading honey-producing regions in Albania. The Honey Festival continues to serve as a vital platform for local farmers to promote their products and maintain the area's rich beekeeping heritage.