In this article the situation of the national beekeeping is analyzed aspects that may be influencing the current state of the livestock sector and some performance measures proposed are highlighted.
Pablo Montesinos Arraiz Professor of Apiculture, Lisandro Alvarado University of Venezuela Member of the AEA (Spanish Association of Beekeepers)
Spain is the largest producer of honey in the European Union (EU) and is among the top 12 in the world. Also notable for beat other European countries in the number of hives and professional beekeepers. Of the ten Spanish universities with veterinary schools, five have already included the subject "Beekeeping" in their curricula, including the University of Zaragoza.
It draws on some statistics and figures in order to visualize, clarify and evaluate the beekeeping situation, so we can propose some husbandry measures and strategies. Using some comparisons will be useful to help describe and illustrate the topics.Data from different years are used, sometimes mismatched, but so are officially reflected. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Economic Sector Indices Beekeeping) together with the National Beekeeping Programme 2011-2013, are the source of information used.
Low cumulative growth
During the 2008-2010 period were reported in the European Union hives 13,602,719, of which Spain contributed to 2,320,949, equivalent to 17% of the total. We were Greece and France, each with 10%. The remaining countries exhibited percentages did not reach double digits. However, these data, which are flattering at first, to contrast them with the growth of the national bee park during the quadrennium 2009-2012, reveal that the cumulative growth was only 1.26% from 2,429,884 of hives in 2009-2553270 in 2012, which is just a difference in favor of 123,386 hives in four years.
The bee farming is significant
In 2011 Spain had a positive trade balance in honey line. 18,448 t (€ 56,905,000) were exported and imported 17,961 t (€ 31,313,000), which resulted in a surplus of € 25,592,000. In terms of livestock production, the beekeeping sector accounted for 0.44% (pig production was close to 50%) and for the final agricultural production accounted for 0.17% (12% was the pig sector). That although bee amounts are not comparable with those of the pig sector, it does equate, in percentage terms, with legumes and oilseeds, which has the same values. So the bee farming, does have some significance in the weighting of agricultural macro-per nationwide and also in preserving and maintaining the diversity of wild vegetation.
Pollination of commercial crops
In Spain, unlike other countries, where crops depend TECHNIFIED honeybees for greater performance, the ability of bees is not exploited to the fullest; and remember that for every three bites of food consumed by humans, at least one depends on pollination and most of it, perhaps 80%, of that made by honeybees.
The above statement reflects data that reflects the 2012 census, in the number of holdings per zootechnical classification because of 24.230 apiaries, only 322 (1.3%) are devoted to pollination services, which does not say, of course, that 15,931 (65.7%) and 6,628 (27.3%) farms engaged in beekeeping and mixed products, respectively, do not perform work of pollination. But there is a great difference in the use of bees when carried to the sites of agricultural crops at the right time and when pollinate purely by chance.
The farmer's interest that the bees are in the fields coinciding with flowering to encourage increased production and profitability of their crop. And beekeepers also suit them, as the population of the hives will increase significantly, thanks to the contribution of nectar and pollen from cash crops. All of which is derived, based on the mutual interest, the need to work in line and through contract farmer-beekeeper, with consequent benefit to both. So it would be very successful to apiaries are more devoted to work on the pollination of commercial crops.
No professional farms
The introduction and overview of the 2011-2013 National Beekeeping Program, we read, "... transhumance fundamental practice that is linked to the Spanish national beekeeping ...". Such a statement leads us to understand that the bulk of hives for production are mobilized throughout the country. This statement is not consistent with the data the number of farms by production system and the number of farms by production capacity (census 2012), because if there still 14,656 farms (shelf), 60.4% of the total (24,230), and 17,857 non-professional farms, 73.6% of all farms; it can be deduced that in them the most hives are concentrated. Similarly, the term fixed (shelf) involves not move at any time of the year, ie non-migratory and being unprofessional, suggests that they are hives that are working locally, as are professional beekeepers they would have greater logistics and transport capacity to mobilize their hives.
By the above, it becomes clear the need for censuses include the number of hives in the rankings by production capacity and production system to avoid wrong to analysis from inconsistent data.
The future of Spanish beekeeping
According to EU hives 2008-2010 hives were 13,602,719, of which 4,461,616 were Perfection model. Spain ranked first with 2,320,949 beehives, 1,868,294 of them Perfection model. Second and third place, Greece and France, with 1,467,690 and 1,360,973 hives, respectively, of which 920,000 and 528,000 were Perfection.
That same census reports that of the 595,775 beekeepers in the EU, only 19,025 are professionals. Spain has 23,265 beekeepers in that context, of which 5,737 are professional. Germany with 103,600 beekeepers, has only 290 professionals, and Italy 1,100 of a total of 70,000 beekeepers.
Spain, for 2008, according to the aforementioned census, with 30,000 tonnes produced and after Brazil (which produced 35,000 t), is in twelfth place among the major producers of honey in the world. First and foremost is China with 367,000 t, followed by Turkey and Argentina, both with 81,000 t.
Accordingly, and based on the three previous statements it is evident that our country has a sufficiently consolidated platform, compared to other EU countries and a respectable position globally. Hence, the beekeeping subsector should focus on objectives and more ambitious goals in the context of the national economy, with a view also to the generation of employment and wealth. To do this, you should not only enhance and improve the objectives and measures of the National Beekeeping Programme but also implement more robust and futuristic strategies:
Spain is the largest producer of honey in the European Union (EU) and is among the top 12 in the world. Also notable for beat other European countries in the number of hives and professional beekeepers. Of the ten Spanish universities with veterinary schools, five have already included the subject "Beekeeping" in their curricula, including the University of Zaragoza.
It draws on some statistics and figures in order to visualize, clarify and evaluate the beekeeping situation, so we can propose some husbandry measures and strategies. Using some comparisons will be useful to help describe and illustrate the topics.Data from different years are used, sometimes mismatched, but so are officially reflected. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Economic Sector Indices Beekeeping) together with the National Beekeeping Programme 2011-2013, are the source of information used.
Low cumulative growth
During the 2008-2010 period were reported in the European Union hives 13,602,719, of which Spain contributed to 2,320,949, equivalent to 17% of the total. We were Greece and France, each with 10%. The remaining countries exhibited percentages did not reach double digits. However, these data, which are flattering at first, to contrast them with the growth of the national bee park during the quadrennium 2009-2012, reveal that the cumulative growth was only 1.26% from 2,429,884 of hives in 2009-2553270 in 2012, which is just a difference in favor of 123,386 hives in four years.
The basis for improving growth in the number of hives is information
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Unfortunately, there is no more information that may help understand and therefore, to remedy the adverse factors that may be affecting the growth of the number of hives. Such information could be supplemented if some indices utilizasen on farms:
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In 2011 Spain had a positive trade balance in honey line. 18,448 t (€ 56,905,000) were exported and imported 17,961 t (€ 31,313,000), which resulted in a surplus of € 25,592,000. In terms of livestock production, the beekeeping sector accounted for 0.44% (pig production was close to 50%) and for the final agricultural production accounted for 0.17% (12% was the pig sector). That although bee amounts are not comparable with those of the pig sector, it does equate, in percentage terms, with legumes and oilseeds, which has the same values. So the bee farming, does have some significance in the weighting of agricultural macro-per nationwide and also in preserving and maintaining the diversity of wild vegetation.
Pollination of commercial crops
In Spain, unlike other countries, where crops depend TECHNIFIED honeybees for greater performance, the ability of bees is not exploited to the fullest; and remember that for every three bites of food consumed by humans, at least one depends on pollination and most of it, perhaps 80%, of that made by honeybees.
The above statement reflects data that reflects the 2012 census, in the number of holdings per zootechnical classification because of 24.230 apiaries, only 322 (1.3%) are devoted to pollination services, which does not say, of course, that 15,931 (65.7%) and 6,628 (27.3%) farms engaged in beekeeping and mixed products, respectively, do not perform work of pollination. But there is a great difference in the use of bees when carried to the sites of agricultural crops at the right time and when pollinate purely by chance.
The farmer's interest that the bees are in the fields coinciding with flowering to encourage increased production and profitability of their crop. And beekeepers also suit them, as the population of the hives will increase significantly, thanks to the contribution of nectar and pollen from cash crops. All of which is derived, based on the mutual interest, the need to work in line and through contract farmer-beekeeper, with consequent benefit to both. So it would be very successful to apiaries are more devoted to work on the pollination of commercial crops.
No professional farms
The introduction and overview of the 2011-2013 National Beekeeping Program, we read, "... transhumance fundamental practice that is linked to the Spanish national beekeeping ...". Such a statement leads us to understand that the bulk of hives for production are mobilized throughout the country. This statement is not consistent with the data the number of farms by production system and the number of farms by production capacity (census 2012), because if there still 14,656 farms (shelf), 60.4% of the total (24,230), and 17,857 non-professional farms, 73.6% of all farms; it can be deduced that in them the most hives are concentrated. Similarly, the term fixed (shelf) involves not move at any time of the year, ie non-migratory and being unprofessional, suggests that they are hives that are working locally, as are professional beekeepers they would have greater logistics and transport capacity to mobilize their hives.
By the above, it becomes clear the need for censuses include the number of hives in the rankings by production capacity and production system to avoid wrong to analysis from inconsistent data.
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According to EU hives 2008-2010 hives were 13,602,719, of which 4,461,616 were Perfection model. Spain ranked first with 2,320,949 beehives, 1,868,294 of them Perfection model. Second and third place, Greece and France, with 1,467,690 and 1,360,973 hives, respectively, of which 920,000 and 528,000 were Perfection.
That same census reports that of the 595,775 beekeepers in the EU, only 19,025 are professionals. Spain has 23,265 beekeepers in that context, of which 5,737 are professional. Germany with 103,600 beekeepers, has only 290 professionals, and Italy 1,100 of a total of 70,000 beekeepers.
Spain, for 2008, according to the aforementioned census, with 30,000 tonnes produced and after Brazil (which produced 35,000 t), is in twelfth place among the major producers of honey in the world. First and foremost is China with 367,000 t, followed by Turkey and Argentina, both with 81,000 t.
Accordingly, and based on the three previous statements it is evident that our country has a sufficiently consolidated platform, compared to other EU countries and a respectable position globally. Hence, the beekeeping subsector should focus on objectives and more ambitious goals in the context of the national economy, with a view also to the generation of employment and wealth. To do this, you should not only enhance and improve the objectives and measures of the National Beekeeping Programme but also implement more robust and futuristic strategies:
- Stimulate the formation of generations of relief through outreach and education, in addition to the particularities of the livestock, show the lucrative and profitable business aspect of beekeeping. The primary focus of these programs could be young family of beekeepers, as they might be sensitized to learning beekeeping.
- Encourage the increasing number of professional beekeepers through courses, field demonstrations, lectures and conferences for all beekeepers. Activities that lead them to strengthen, update or enhance their methods, techniques and procedures, with consequent improvements in production and incomes. So well taken apiaries be valued as sources of solid work and character of primary income and not merely complementary.
- Promote and support breeding queens. To increase the levels of production and productivity of hives, it is imperative to intensify programs of selection and breeding of the Iberian queens ( Apis mellifera Iberian ), race has traditionally been used in the country. However, the introduction of queens from other races economic interest is necessary, since the contribution of different genes is crucial to avoid genetic weakness (inbreeding) and increase the variability of populations of honeybees, whose positive effect will result in best crops of honey.
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