In a recent assessment of the Department of Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment and International Cooperation of the province of Camagüey, which links the center with the eastern Antillean, Omelio Barba, director of the Beekeeping Base Business Unit, expressed that 2023 was a very complex year.

“First because the weather situation prevented good flowering, second because we know that Cuba has a very complex situation with fuel and this caused us to lose more than 500 hives in May and June alone,” he said.

Despite the difficulties, which only allowed them about 80 tons of honey for the month of December, they have hopes in the different Base Business Units to continue producing, even picking up in the manufacture of wax, pollen and jelly.

“Cuba has a tradition, and its honey has been sold for more than 40 years, and more than 90 percent of what is produced is exported, and we know that we need to do it to seek liquidity and a foreign exchange market that allows us to develop in the whole country, and that is the mission,” said Barba.

In 2023, Camagüey’s production plan was 530 tons, still below what could be achieved in 2019 when it reached 913, the second highest figure after the record of 1983 when beekeepers took the record to just over a thousand tons.

While waiting for a climate that favors the work of the bees themselves, and the entry of fuel, professionals in this sector are also looking for alternatives to increase the productive result.

According to international studies, the honey market reached a value of 1.93 million tons in 2023, and it is estimated that the market will reach a compound annual growth rate of 5.7% between 2024 and 2032, to reach a value of 3.19 million tons in 2032.

ef/ro/fam