Türkiye's Bitlis honey took home gold at an international honey competition held in the capital of France, Paris, winning first place amid hundreds of other competitors from 45 countries.

Produced in the high-altitude plateaus of Bitlis, one of Türkiye's most important honey centers with rich flora, the honey continues to successfully demonstrate its quality. Sent to laboratories in France for the 2024 Paris International Honey Awards, it was deemed worthy of the Gold Honey award based on its proline value, moisture content and pollen count.

The achievement of Bitlis honey in obtaining the highest rank in this evaluation, where approximately 200 beekeepers from about 45 countries participated, brought great joy to the beekeepers in the city. Serdar Naci Ersan, a beekeeper from Bitlis, stated that he applied to the international honey competition in Paris with the honey he produced in the high-altitude plateaus of the city, which have rich vegetation.

"There are approximately 1,200 different plant species in our plateaus. These are the most important factors determining the quality of our honey. Our honey, produced in every stage according to organic farming principles, was deemed worthy of the gold honey award in the capital of France, Paris, this year as well," Ersan said.

"In 2023, in the capital of England, London, and this year in Paris, with the pride of bringing two gold honey awards to our province, we are experiencing justified pride. Our poly floral, or multi-floral, dark hive honey won the gold honey award among approximately 200 participants from 45 countries. The greatest factor that makes our honey so unique and valuable is our plateaus. These plateaus have nearly 1,200 endemic and medicinal, meaning healing, plant species," he added.