Beekeepers here are up in arms because they claim that they have had 3,250 beehives destroyed by a plane recklessly spraying insecticides meant to kill locusts. They claim that the damage to their businesses are in the region of SR2.6 million and are now seeking compensation from the Ministry of Agriculture. However, a source at the Ministry of Agriculture said that the main cause of the death of the bees was the soaring temperature. He said the spraying planes always keep away from areas with beehives. Hisham Halawani, Director of the Ministry of Agriculture branch in Makkah, said the ministry's branch in Jeddah is responsible for the spraying. He said he did not know in which areas the spraying took place. Beekeeper Abdullah Al-Ghaithi, said he and his colleagues were taken by surprise when they saw the planes targeting their beehives, despite repeated calls for them to keep away from the area. “This random spraying has meant huge losses for us especially if we take into consideration that beekeeping is a very troublesome process and needs lots of money,” Al-Ghaithi said. Another beekeeper Mousa Al-Rabei said he lost 1,350 beehives because of the alleged spraying of insecticides.
