site.btaRains, Swarming Will Result in Smaller Honey Harvest This Year - Beekepers

Varna, on the Black Sea, August 5 (BTA) - This year's honey harvest will be smaller than in 2013 and will not exceed 10,000 tonnes, the Chairman of the Regional Apicultural Organisation in Varna, Atanas Karakashev, said Tuesday. Speaking on the eve of the Summer Honey Festival in the Black Sea port. Last year beekeepers collected over 14,000 tonnes, 60-70 per cent of which were sold on foreign markets. Honey is mainly exported to Germany, Greece and Poland.
 
The rains and the swarming of the bees this year mean less honey, with a 50-60 per cent drop in rape honey. Acacia honey is totally at a loss and linden honey has partial success. This will be compensated with herbal and sunflower honey, the beekeepers say. The bad weather terminated the development of swarms and the lack of nectar of the flowering trees and rape left bees hungry after which they began to swarm.

In the opinion of the organization, the honey collected here should be sold mainly in Bulgaria. Statistics, however, show that one Bulgarian consumes about 700 grammes of honey a year, while German per capita consumption is about 7 kg.

The Summer Honey Festival in Varna will be held from August 12 to 22, with the expected participation of 14 producers from across the country. All kinds of honey produced in Bulgaria will be presented at the festival.