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Agriculture: ACA: Unfavorable weather and reduction of bee families will affect 2017 honey production
2017 had a negative start for bee keepers because of the massive reduction of bee families throughout the country, said Ioan Fetea, the president of the Association of Bee Keepers in Romania (ACA).
“We have less bees because of diseases, lack of nectar and too few treatments as well as unfavorable weather conditions. Practically, several factors have influenced depopulations and deaths of bee families, which started in September. The situation is different from one county to another, with an average of 20-25% throughout the country,”the ACA president said.
He pointed out that honey imports have grown in the last two years, over 30% coming from Argentina, Mexico and China, but at a poor quality.
“Although 250,000 tons of honey are produced in Europe, 200,000 tons are imported from other continents because consumption demand is 450,000 tons. 100,000 tons come from China and the rest from Ukraine, Argentina and Mexico,” Fetea explained.
In 2016, honey production was half of the average of the last two years, because of unfavorable weather which affected bee families.
Romania produces an average of 20,000 tons of honey annually, ranking 4th in Europe, while in 2015 there were 1.47 million bee families. At national level, there are about 40,000 bee keepers, over 60% of them being ACA members with about 90,000 bee families.
According to ACA, honey consumption recorded a 15% increase in the last 2-3 years, up to 550 grams per capita. Even at that level Romania is still at the end of the European top.
Statistics show that Romanians consume 500-550 grams of honey per capita, on the average, every year, a growing consumption compared to ten years ago, but 3-4 times less against 2 kg consumed in Germany or 1.5 kg in Holland and Belgium.