The European Commission has approved a series of minor adjustments proposed by the Region to the specification of Azores Honey bearing the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certificated, a decision that meets the claims of Azorean beekeepers.
The changes introduced include the classification of pittosporum undulatum honey and multifloral honey through measurable parameters, such as sucrose and water content, for example.
Additionally, the specifications set for this product were simplified and clarified and producers are now allowed to pack honey in a clear glass jar up to one kilogram, when previously the requirements only allowed 250 or 500 grams.
Pittosporum undulatum honey is produced between February 1 and April 30 and is harvested at the end of the flowering season. In turn, the multifloral honey is produced all year round and is harvested between April 1 and October 31.
This amendment to the specifications of PDO Azores Honey is one of the measures provided for in the publicly presented Strategic Plan for Beekeeping in the Azores. It seeks to respond to the current needs of the sector and, as such, it is an ongoing process.
The order establishing the operational group responsible for monitoring the Strategic Plan for Beekeeping in the Azores will be published in the Official Journal later this week. It will consist of six members: a member from the Office of the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry, the Regional Director for Agriculture, a member from the PDO "Azores Honey" Management group, a member from CASERMEL - São Miguel Beekeepers' Cooperative, a member from the Azores Agricultural Federation and a member from the University of the Azores.
Drawn up by a working group with a ten-year time horizon, this plan aims to render the beekeeping sector stronger, better organised, more profitable and more sustainable.
Beekeeping plays a very important role in the agricultural sector due to the contribution of bees as natural pollinators, thus increasing the profitability of farms. They are also important for the pollination of other plants, preserving them and, consequently, contributing to the balance of the ecosystem and the maintenance of biodiversity.