Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Maryam Jafari Sani ¹
• Leila Gharehdaghi ²
• Ali Shahnavazi ¹
• Gorban Elyasi Zarringhabaie ³
• Farhad Parnian-khajehdizaj ²

¹ Assistant Professor, Economic, Social and Extension Research Department, East Azarbaijan Agricultural and Natural Recourses Research and Education Center, AREEO, Tabriz, Iran.

² Animal Science Research Department, East Azarbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Tabriz, Iran

³ Assistant Professor, Animal Science Research Department, East Azarbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Tabriz, Iran.

Abstract

The beekeeping industry, as one of the strategic subsectors of agriculture, plays a significant role in achieving food security, creating employment, and sustainable rural development. This research aimed to analyze the competitive capabilities and export development potential of Iran's beekeeping industry using seven key indicators: production concentration, self-sufficiency, export potential, production efficiency, labor productivity, mechanization, and product diversity. Based on cluster analysis and composite index, provinces were classified into five homogeneous groups: Export-oriented axis (West Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Fars, and East Azerbaijan), Self-sufficient (Kermanshah, Mazandaran, Gilan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and North Khorasan), Balanced (Isfahan,Khuzestan, Zanjan, Kordestan, Kerman, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Lorestan, and Hamedan), Consumer-centric (Alborz, Ilam, Boshehr, Markazi, Golestan and Gazvin), and Low-Potential (Tehran, South Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, Semnan, Sistan and Balochestan, Gom, South Kerman, Hormozgan and Yazd). The findings revealed a deep regional development gap in this industry, with the difference in the composite competitive capability index between export-oriented provinces (0.82) and low potential (0.24) reaching 3.4 times. Sensitivity analysis confirmed 85% model stability. To reduce the identified regional development gap, a stepwise strategy including differentiated regional policymaking, targeted resource allocation, strengthening the value chain, and institution-building is proposed. This study provides a scientific model for the balanced development and enhancement of the competitiveness of Iran's beekeeping industry

Keywords

• Beekeeping Industry
• Competitive Capability
• Cluster Analysis
• Development Strategy
• Regional Development Gap

Main Subjects

• Honey bee