Beekeepers are worrying about going to the region in the summer season
AYŞE OYMAN
İZMİR(DİHA) - Beekeepers who take their bees to the cities in the southeast region to increase the yield are worrying about increasing operations. Stating that they hesitate to go to the region, beekeepers, say that '' They did not allow us to bring our animals to the places we want in the period of clashes. If again bans and restrictions are introduced we will quit the business.''
In Turkey where 4 seasons are passed through, there are places where bees can produce honey in 4 season. The beekeeepers who come to the cities in the west like Aydin and Antalya in the winter, prefer high places in the southeast region in the summer. But military buildup by Turkish Armed Forces to the border of Iran and Iraq and increased operations in last times gives worry to the beekeepers. Beekeepers who state that they hesitate to go to the region, want to return to old days.
' We suffered a lot in the time of war'
Bringing his bees to Agacli Village in Aydin's Soke District in the winter from Erzurum's Tekman District, Mevlüt Demirkaya, stated that they have to go to the cities in the southeast to increase the output. Stating that he is making beekeeping for 20 years, Demirkaya, stated that they had suffered a lot in the period of war and added :
'' When we go to the Erzurum we want to stay in appropriate places close to our village and fit for bees. But they locate us places near the road, and say ' Terror is coming, you should be always under control'. But it is not true, those who comes are our relatives, either our brother or uncle or an associate of us. Teror does not come. There is a huge difference between upland and roadside. Good flowers don't exist in the roadside, when bees wander around the road, the cars crush them, they perish. Also there is a risk of theft in the roadside. They don't give a good place for output.''
Pointing out that with the lift of bans after the period of war, the output saw increases, Demirkaya, said that '' We could go to the the places we wanted in the peace time and output increased. If our bee was 50, it became 100. If we got 100 kg honey, it became 200 kg.''
'If bans and coercions appear again we will quit the business'
Stating that their worries increased after stepping up operations, Demirkaya, said that:
'' There are operations again. There is soldier and guerilla in the mountain. If they locate all of us into same place for security reasons, the output will not increase. The laws say that '' Bees can not be in places like roadside and close to the residences. They should give us the rights the law assigns . Bees are national wealth. Our art is this. Beekeeping is done in the mountains. If again coercions and bans come we will quit the business. We can not accept the insults again. We leave the business. I am 60 years old. It is better to die on a stone rather than exposed to insults.''
(ia/aş)
