Utmost efforts are being exerted to curb problems in Ethiopia's apiary sector, a government official said on Friday.

When opening the 5th annual conference of the Ethiopian Beekeepers Association, Ethiopian State Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abera Deressa, said apiary would contribute its share in boosting the country's foreign currency earning as well as in the efforts to reduce poverty and ensure food security.

The association, composed of professionals, is engaged in bee husbandry, research, development, work training processing and the marketing of honey bee products.

Abera said the country's honey and beeswax development and marketing plan is being implemented.

The plan is being implemented in areas exposed to food shortage with a view to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for poverty reduction and food security, he added.

The MDGs, adopted in the millennium UN summit, include a series of concrete objectives in fighting poverty, reducing hunger, expanding primary education, and containing the spread of HIV/AIDS, among others.

Abera said efforts are underway to expand the sector and enable beekeepers become beneficiaries.

He said discussions had been held on the main plan, designed for the development of honey, beeswax and other products with a view to increasing the quality and quantity of the products.

Abera said a lot remains to be done to produce quality honey and beeswax as well as become competitive by supplying the products to local and foreign markets.

He said the beekeepers association plays a significant role in strengthening activities which enable it to achieve its objectives.

The ministry of agriculture would provide the necessary support to enable the association realize its goals, said Abera.

Ethiopia is a major producer of beeswax, only surpassed by Mexico and China. It is also the world's 10th biggest honey producer.

Source: Xinhua