Turkey produces 92 percent of world's pine honey, said Bahri Yılmaz, the head of Turkey Beekeepers Association, stressing the nationwide value of pine honey. Speaking at a conference in central Karaman province, Yılmaz announced that "bee forests" are being established with the initiatives of the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs. "Bees are crucial for agriculture. The lack of a bee hive in a sunflower garden causes 62 percent loss in sunflower seeds," Yılmaz said, adding Turkey suffers from insufficient amount of sunflower seeds. "Bees are necessary for all farmers. Garden owners in the U.S. pay $250 per month to beekeepers," he went onto say. In Turkey, 500 bees are produced annually, yet the country needs 2 million bees. All bee hives are regularly registered and controlled, Yılmaz further said. "We put registration numbers on each hive to avoid fake honey production. Experts follow the production from the initial stage until it comes to your table," he concluded.