Bavaria's honey supplier: 34 kilos per people and cement honey alarm!

Bavaria's honey supplier: 34 kilos per people and cement honey alarm!

In Bavaria, beekeepers can report a stable honey harvest this year. On average, each bee colony brought 34.2 kilograms of honey, almost at the level of the previous year. This gratifying communication comes from surveys from the Bienen specialist center and beekeeping in Mayen, Rhineland-Palatinate, and shows that the Bavarian results are even slightly above the nationwide average. This is particularly noteworthy because a large number of beekeepers from Bavaria took part in the survey.

The year 2023 was not without challenges, especially with regard to the quality of the honey. In certain regions of Bavaria, such as the Upper Palatinate and the Allgäu, a phenomenon occurred that is known as cement honey or melezito honey. According to the Bee Institute of the Bavarian State Institute for Wine and Horticulture in Veitshöchheim near Würzburg, the honey has crystallized so much due to aphid attack that it was difficult to get out of the honeycomb. "The honey is usable, but is difficult to spin," said the deputy head of the institute.

market development and price increases

Consumers must expect prices when buying honey. Compared to the previous year, the costs rose by about two percent. It is interesting to know that most honey is sold in the house sales of hobby beekeepers nationwide. Single exhibitors and small beekeepers usually have their own sales outlets, where they can get in touch with the consumers and offer their products.

The role of beekeepers in Bavaria is particularly important: According to the Bavarian Ministry of Agriculture and Nutrition, Bavaria accounts for more than a quarter of all German bee colonies. Around 42,000 beekeepers and beekeepers are currently organized in the Bavarian beekeeper associations. This number not only illustrates the importance of beekeeping in the region, but also the responsibility that goes hand in hand with the preservation of this important pollinator population.

funding and challenges for beekeeping

In order to secure the essential role of bees in the pollination, the Bavarian state government again called on the scene in 2023 the financial support of beekeeping and beekeeping associations. One goal of this funding is to increase the proportion of organic beekeeping and thus support sustainable beekeeping. This shows how seriously the state government takes the challenges of the time.

A great concern among beekeepers is the Asian hornet. This invasive way that has occurred in Bavaria since 2022 is a threat to the local bee colonies because it occurs as a predator and eats bees. The spread of this type could have a long -term negative effects on honey production and health of local ecosystems.

Overall, the situation of the honey harvest in Bavaria shows that despite the challenges through weather conditions, price developments and invasive types, the beekeepers continue to do their important work. This is a remarkable performance for which it is worth showing recognition, both in public and at the political level to secure the future of this important industry.

More information about the current situation of the honey harvest in Bavaria can be found on www.traunsteiner-tagspratt.de .