The honey catastrophic 2014 in France and Europe
September 7, 2014 | By jean-charles Houel
"The National Union of French Apiculture (UNAF) paints a devastating and alarming picture of the honey crop for 2014, after extensive consultation among its 20,000 beekeepers members spread across the country. UNAF calls on government to support producers of emergency and reverse the decline of bees.
In 2014, the French honey production is the lowest in recent years. A drop in output of 50 to 80%. We know that bees are dying across Europe. Honey production is actually necessarily feel and fall in recent years. But in 2014 breaks all records: according UNAF French production is the lowest in our history this year. "With the exception of the West and Brittany that seem somewhat spared, in all regions of France and especially in the major producing regions such as Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Midi-Pyrenees and Languedoc-Roussillon ... harvests are down 50-80%. "Said the representative of beekeepers in a statement. And compared to the 2013 harvest, which were already bad!
In 1995, domestic production was about 32,000 tons. It reached 20,000 tons in 2011, less than 15 000 tonnes in 2013 to 2014, the production will be below 10,000 tonnes. The French honey consumption amounting to about 40,000 tons, this means that we will have to import more than 30,000 tons of honey. But comparable decreases were observed in other European countries ...
The survival of the French beekeeping threatened?
This drop in honey production is due to many reasons: obviously there are traditional collapses of bee colonies due to pathogens, pesticides, veterinary drugs ... But this year the weather has been particularly bad for bees and beekeeping throughout the spring and summer. "The major periods of northerly winds, rain and cold have dried flowers and prevented the bees to find nectar. The number of days where the bees were able to work were very rare, which did not produce honey in the usual amounts, "said Henri Clement, professional beekeeper and Spokesman UNAF.
Lack of honey is unprecedented and causes problems for apiaries. UNAF therefore challenges the Department of Agriculture "for an exceptional aid in the name of national solidarity is given to beekeepers," said Henri Clement. "It's the survival of the industry," insists beekeeping union. This aid would cover the 2000 and 3000 professional beekeepers pluripotent. Namely that France has about 70,000 beekeepers when we add beekeepers leisure.
A plan for sustainable development of beekeeping has been set up by Stéphane Le Foll, Minister of Agriculture, in 2013, but the plan "seems quite ridiculous and in no way meets the urgent concerns of beekeepers who are struggling to their survival, "laments the union. "We do not see any real action on the ground," said Henri Clement. "
Author: Matthew Combe
Article published on the website of natura sciences.com
http://www.natura-honey-bee-sciences.com/agriculture/recolte en baisse730.html
