OMÜ Aims to Build a Brand in Honey Production

Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMÜ) Rector Prof. Dr. Yavuz Ünal said, "We want to create a brand in honey production with our bee colonies that are in the registration phase." Rector Prof. Dr. Yavuz Ünal met with Tekkeköy Municipality Mayor Hasan Togar to discuss projects and activities related to medicinal aromatic plants, beekeeping and honey production, and to develop business and strategic cooperation. Rector Ünal, noting that they have established a structure providing project development services through the Project Development Office (PGO), said: "We attach importance to the PGO because I am talking about a structure that will at least set the direction in the region and make investments more qualified. The independence and disconnection of research and development (R&D) and investment from each other increases costs both economically and in terms of human resources. Therefore, we want the projects that emerge to be part of a 'mega project'. How do we position ourselves here? In our minds, the university produces strategic knowledge; with this knowledge, it opens doors for entrepreneurship and supports entrepreneurs. If a venture emerges in the next step, it undertakes its R&D."

Goal is to convert medicinal aromatic plants into industrial products

Rector Ünal, discussing the project developed on medicinal aromatic plants on 40 decares of land within the university and the work done in this direction, said: "There were 2 points in this work. The first was identifying which of these medicinal aromatic plants would be suitable to our region and economically profitable. The second was making this field part of 'outdoor education' for middle and high school students, meaning education outside the classroom. A total of 37 aromatic plant species were tested on this land—27 annual and 10 perennial. Four to five of them were harvested last year, and it is planned for the project to advance this year and move to the second phase during this process. In the second phase, we have extracting the essence of these plants and converting them into industrial products. Here, for example, if you say 'lemon balm' should be produced, packaged and ultimately sold, you cannot sell it. Even if you could sell it, it would not cover the costs. If you ask what is expected here; if these plants are converted into industrial products, a profit is obtained. When sowing occurs, having sales guarantee for these products is the most important factor for the producer," he said. "We want to create a brand in honey production with our bee colonies that are in the registration phase" Rector Ünal, elaborating on the plan the university is considering, made the following statements regarding the current situation and the relation of the activities in question to beekeeping: "OMÜ has 2 bee types—one improved Black Sea and the other Caucasian—and they are currently in the registration phase at the Ministry. Studies show that these bees are 90 percent more resilient and more productive because of geographic suitability. The point I want to emphasize here is producing skilled beekeepers. Therefore, what we foresee for the existing bees is this: After the certification process, both the product and bee health must be controlled by the University. Of course, we need supporting processes here. We did some work before reaching this level and our thinking became clear on this matter. We consulted with 2 companies and targeted the external market rather than the domestic market directly. No chemicals will be used in production, sugar will never be used, and the grazing quality of this production will be guaranteed by the University. In other words, we need to completely change the flora and create pastures where these bees can feed. This venture can attract serious investors. What I am actually describing is creating a brand, and everyone at the base needs to benefit. A structure like this under university control can very easily find customers." Mayor Togar: "At the stage we have reached, we have 6,000 hives and produce 110 tons of honey" Tekkeköy Municipality Mayor Hasan Togar, discussing the projects they are conducting on beekeeping and honey production, said: "During this process, we provided very serious training related to beekeeping, from spring colony maintenance training to quality honey production training. Thanks to these trainings, producers learned beekeeping in about 6 months. Two years ago, our bee colonies numbered 4,000 hives and our honey production was only 7 kilograms. There was an excessive hybridization problem in the bees. At the current stage, we have reduced the hybridization problem by 90 percent. We now have 6,000 hives and produce 110 tons of honey. We have also started pollen production as an extra income source. For example, the area in Samsun with pure wild thyme is found only in Tekkeköy. There is wild thyme over 5,000 decares. In the area where we encourage beekeeping, we have large pasture areas. With the project we launched in 2015, we aimed to contribute to employment and ensure producers obtain high incomes. We have even moved to the next level in honey production and started working on the black hive system. Actually, the producer does not sell 50 kilograms of honey; he sells 15 kilograms of honey but earns 3 times more than the return from 50 kilograms of honey," he explained. In the following parts of the meeting, topics such as preparation and planning phases in honey production, infrastructure work, cooperative models, OMÜ's assumption of the R&D role, certification process, and establishing liaison with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry were discussed. In the coming days, it is planned to formalize a possible cooperation between OMÜ and Tekkeköy Municipality regarding medicinal aromatic plant cultivation and honey production through a protocol.

Tekkeköy Municipality will support OKAF'22 with 'silver sponsorship'

At the meeting, the Middle Black Sea Career Fair (OKAF'22) to be held in Samsun on 2–3 March under the leadership of the Presidential Human Resources Office and hosted by OMÜ was also on the agenda, and Mayor Togar stated that they will support the fair with 'silver sponsorship'. At the discussion in the Rectorate Management Meeting Hall, officials from the Municipality's Environmental Protection and Control Department and Support Services Department, Samsun Technopark General Manager Ekrem Altan, Rectorate Project Development Office Coordinator Assistant Res. Asst. Merve Yiğiter and Specialist Yaman Şeker were also present.