João Ponte announces creation of action plan for the development of beekeeping in the Azores
The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry announced today that the Azores will have an action plan for beekeeping, which is expected to be concluded by the summer. This document will guide and define measures for the development of this area in the medium and long-term.
"It was important to have a guiding document and to define a series of measures for the development of the sector in the medium and long-term," said João Ponte. He spoke on the sidelines of a visit to a bee farm in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island.
The Regional Secretary stated that this plan for beekeeping will identify a number of aspects to improve, thus contributing to the promotion of honey produced in the Azores as well as to the increase of production and consumers.
João Ponte also stressed that the plan is being prepared by technicians from the Regional Secretariat of Agriculture and Forestry and industry partners. It will focus on four major goals: health, technical follow-up, reinforcement of associations and marketing, with a view to rendering the sector more attractive and profitable.
These goals will correspond to specific actions. They will include the reinforcement of health control mechanisms, promotion of training courses, support for the creation of associations, organisation of sessions on beekeeping by regional associations and promotion of Azores honey bearing the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification.
João Ponte stated that beekeeping plays a very important role for the agricultural sector, given the contribution of bees as natural pollinators, increasing the profitability of farms. They are also important for the pollination of other plants, thus preserving them and, consequently, contributing to the balance of the ecosystem and the maintenance of biodiversity.
In the Azores there are currently about four hundred beekeepers, 742 apiaries and almost 6,000 hives.
The Regional Secretary said that here has been a marked increase in the number of beekeepers and apiaries in the archipelago in recent years as well as an evolution in the quality of honey produced.
On the other hand, the government official said that as soon as the plan is completed, he will proceed with the revision of the Regional Legislative Decree no.24/2007/A, given the need to adapt it to the current situation and render the beekeeping even more attractive.