'Reef Saudi' Celebrates World Bee Day with Notable Achievements in Saudi Honey Sector

On World Bee Day, the program revealed that the Kingdom's honey production in the previous year reached 3,120 tons - SPA
On World Bee Day, the program revealed that the Kingdom's honey production in the previous year reached 3,120 tons - SPA
TT

'Reef Saudi' Celebrates World Bee Day with Notable Achievements in Saudi Honey Sector

On World Bee Day, the program revealed that the Kingdom's honey production in the previous year reached 3,120 tons - SPA
On World Bee Day, the program revealed that the Kingdom's honey production in the previous year reached 3,120 tons - SPA

The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program "Reef Saudi" has announced significant achievements in supporting the honey sector. Since 2020, the program has provided a total of SAR140 million in support to the sector, benefiting approximately 10,584 individuals across all regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The regions of Asir, Hail, Makkah, and Al-Baha have been among the primary beneficiaries of this support, according to SPA.
On World Bee Day, the program revealed that the Kingdom's honey production in the previous year reached 3,120 tons, marking a 41% increase from 2021. The program aims to raise production to 7,500 tons annually by 2026, demonstrating its commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in honey production.
The program has also expressed support for various essential projects in the honey sector, including the establishment of queen bee breeding and package production stations in areas such as Hail, Najran, Jazan, Madinah, Tabuk, and Taif.

Additionally, it has supplied three mobile laboratories for examining and diagnosing bee diseases and pests in quarantine stations, along with four mobile clinics equipped for this purpose (Phase 2). Moreover, the program has provided modern beekeeping tools to promote advanced techniques among beekeepers.



Latest Tests Show Seine Water Quality Was Substandard When Paris Mayor Took a Dip

 Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
TT

Latest Tests Show Seine Water Quality Was Substandard When Paris Mayor Took a Dip

 Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
Boats carrying members of delegations sail along the Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024. (AFP)

Tests results released Friday showed the water quality in the River Seine was slightly below the standards needed to authorize swimming — just as the Paris Olympics start.

Heavy rain during the opening ceremony revived concerns over whether the long-polluted waterway will be clean enough to host swimming competitions, since water quality is deeply linked with the weather in the French capital.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a highly publicized dip last week in a bid to ease fears. The Seine will be used for marathon swimming and triathlon.

Daily water quality tests measure levels of fecal bacteria known as E. coli.

Tests by monitoring group Eau de Paris show that at the Bras Marie, E. coli levels were then above the safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters determined by European rules on June 17, when the mayor took a dip.

The site reached a value of 985 on the day the mayor swam with Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet and the top government official for the Paris region, Marc Guillaume, joined her, along with swimmers from local swimming clubs.

At two other measuring points further downstream, the results were below the threshold.

The statement by Paris City Hall and the prefecture of the Paris region noted that water quality last week was in line with European rules six days out of seven on the site which is to host the Olympic swimming competitions.

It noted that "the flow of the Seine is highly unstable due to regular rainfall episodes and remains more than twice the usual flow in summer," explaining fluctuating test results.

Swimming in the Seine has been banned for over a century. Since 2015, organizers have invested $1.5 billion to prepare the Seine for the Olympics and to ensure Parisians have a cleaner river after the Games. The plan included constructing a giant underground water storage basin in central Paris, renovating sewer infrastructure, and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.