Crimean beekeeping farms collect more than 90 percent of the annual honey volume

More than 90 percent of the annual volume of honey has been collected in Crimean beekeeping farms. This was reported by the acting Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Crimea, Alime Zaredinova. The products are sold mainly at the republic’s markets and fairs.

Beekeepers call Crimean mountain honey the most valuable and useful. It is also called royal. There are about 79 thousand bee colonies in Crimea. Most honey is obtained in the apiaries of Belogorsk, Dzhankoy, Kirovsky districts. Annual honey production is more than 2000 tons. Today, beekeepers are actively preparing hives for winter, — Acting Minister Alime Zaredinova commented.

The acting minister explained that the main support measure for beginning «honey farmers» is the «Agrostartup» grant. The funds allow for the purchase of hives, equipment, bees, and the construction of a room for pumping and processing honey. The Crimean Ministry of Agriculture is currently accepting applications for a subsidy from beginning farmers, including beekeepers.

Since 2015, 16 beekeepers from the Kirovsky, Saksky, Bakhchisarai, Simferopolsky, Belogorsky, Razdolnensky and Sovetsky districts have used the grant for a total of 24 million rubles. This year, the budget of the Republic of Crimea has allocated 49.8 million rubles for «Agrostartup». In order to create his own farm, a novice farmer can receive grant support from 1.5 to 4 million rubles. To do this, it is necessary to competently draw up a business plan and defend it at an in-person interview before the competition committee, — Alima Zaredinova reported.

Alime Zaredinova also recalled that, with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Crimea, municipalities have created commissions to inspect apiaries and establish the fact of death of bee colonies, as well as regulating the procedure for interaction with affected beekeepers. Also, the «Memo for the actions of a beekeeper in the event of the death of bees from pesticides» was sent to the Crimean administration to disseminate information to beekeepers.

source: press service of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Crimea