The Lucanian beekeeping sector is “literally on the ground”. After two years with reduced production, companies are having difficulty paying salaries and budgets are increasingly at a loss, forcing many beekeepers to close down or downsize. In this scenario, the Lucanian Beekeepers Association, acting as spokesperson for the owners of the companies in the sector, asks for a crisis table at the Region’s Agriculture Department to support and protect both the production and the beekeeping heritage. This is supported by a document from the Lucanian Beekeepers Association signed by president Nicola Di Nuzzo who, through a report, has reconstructed what is happening in the beekeeping sector in Basilicata in the current year. A large part of the territory – we read in the report – is affected by the absence of last year’s rains, so all the spontaneous blooms, such as rosemary and sulla, are practically absent, with the exception of small patchy areas, precious at least to the sustenance of the hives, but only for a lucky few. At the same time, the recording of above average temperatures in the winter months resulted in early flowering throughout the fruit and vegetable sector, so citrus fruits, which represent the first important honey crop of the year, were already in flower in the second half of March, when families are not yet ready to step up to the super. Then – according to the document signed by Di Nuzzo – the defeat occurred in mid-April. The sharp drop in temperatures has literally stopped the plants’ production of nectar; citrus fruit blooms, then acacia flowers, then clover again, were not even sufficient to satisfy the needs of the most populous hives of bees, which in some cases found death. So we immediately take action, with emergency feeding for the hives and for the new bee nuclei. Those who practice nomadic beekeeping move the bees to other areas, but the result does not change. The month of May was characterized by heat peaks and a substantial rainfall deficit with medium-high severity drought conditions, especially in the long term. In this environmental panorama, the production trend shows a rather disheartening situation, at least until now. Spring honey harvests preceding the acacia and citrus blossoms were practically absent, with some exceptions limited to a few areas on a limited number of hives, where a few small harvests were obtained. The harvests of acacia, especially honey which is essential for the income of companies, are extremely scarce. Crops compromised with very low yields even for citrus honey. Unfortunately – we read again in the report – the Sulla honey harvest also gave very poor results, sometimes due to the lack of emergence of the plants due to the winter drought, sometimes because despite the presence of flowers there were no conditions for the production of nectar or for foraging by bees. It should be underlined that – adds Di Nuzzo – to keep families in good health and able to produce, but often also to literally save them from starvation due to the total absence of nectariferous flows, beekeepers had to intervene with nutrition of relief, continuously and abundantly. In some areas, a greater incidence of nutritional stress diseases has been reported.
We are well aware that the State has allocated funds for the reimbursement of insurance premiums for damage from climatic events, but – concludes Di Nuzzo – at present no institute wants to insure beekeepers and their production. Therefore, intervention by the Region is essential.
Report of the National Honey Observatory on 2024 production (May)
Basilicata. The flowering of the citrus fruits was earlier, up to 20 days compared to normal, and very short. This has had a negative impact on harvests which have been poor, with yields currently estimated at 5 kg/hive on average, in the suitable areas of the province of Matera. The return of cold between April and May and the drought essentially eliminated the spring wildflower harvests, with a few rare exceptions relating to limited areas of the province of Potenza. Sulla’s honey harvests have also been wiped out, as they do not appear to have flowered due to the drought.
MARKET TREND
Wholesale honey in 300 kg drums The sector has been experiencing an extremely critical market situation for several months which has manifested itself with a sharp drop in demand for honey from the main packaging companies and a sharp drop in prices, despite the succession of negative production years. To date, in beekeepers’ warehouses it is still possible to find stocks of unsold honey from the 2023 season or quantities of honey waiting to be collected. Where the honey has instead been purchased and collected, there are very long and sometimes indefinite payment times. In May, some sales of 2023 lots were detected. In May, the price of swarms undergoes a normal decline and then drops further in the summer months. The price ranges currently detected for conventional swarms are: 85-95 €/each in the South; 100-120 €/each in the North and Center. From €120/each up for biological swarms. The price varies not only according to the type of management (conventional or organic) but also based on the quantity of swarms sold. As regards queens, especially in the North, there are strong production difficulties and delays in fertilization due to bad weather. Prices, for wholesale quantities, range between €16/each and €18/each. For small quantities, prices are even higher, of €20/each.
