Beekeepers in Bulgaria are facing mounting challenges as the beekeeping sector continues to struggle, BNT reports. More producers in Southwestern Bulgaria are opting to sell or abandon their apiaries due to a series of difficulties that have plagued the industry in recent years.

According to Ralitsa Petkova from the Beekeepers' Association in Southwestern Bulgaria, the situation is grim. "The prospects in beekeeping have been unprofitable for several years now," she shared. "This year, the expected yields will be much lower due to the harsh winter, which resulted in a high number of lost bee colonies. Beekeepers who lost their colonies will first focus on rebuilding their hives, and only then will they turn their attention to honey production. As a result, the honey yield will be significantly reduced, reflecting the loss of colonies."

Given the low production forecast, beekeepers are hoping for a rise in honey prices. Petkova expressed that the current price of Bulgarian honey, which stands at about 15 leva per jar, has long been undervalued. She noted that historically, the price of 1 kg of Bulgarian honey was comparable to that of butter, but inflation and market trends have since made honey increasingly underappreciated. "We hope that the price will increase slightly to around 18-20 leva per kilogram. This is more in line with the actual value of honey, and although Bulgarian consumers may not afford such a price, it reflects its true worth," Petkova explained.

Petkova also compared Bulgarian honey prices with those in the international market. At a honey producers' exhibition in Belgrade last year, polyfloral honey was sold for about 10 euros per kilogram, while monofloral varieties, such as acacia and mandarin, fetched around 15 euros per kilogram.

The loss of bee colonies varies across different regions of Bulgaria. In the Blagoevgrad area, smaller apiaries have seen less significant losses, staying within the 10% natural mortality rate. However, beekeepers with larger operations are facing much higher losses, with reports from the United Branch Beekeeping Union indicating figures ranging from 50% to 70%. "We hope that these figures are not as severe, as this would make it harder for the sector to recover," Petkova said, stressing the importance of rebuilding the industry.