Beekeeping is a promising business that does not require large start-up capital. The main factor in its success is considered to be the knowledge and skills of the beekeeper. Beekeeping in the Krasnodar region is characterized by certain features. In this case, it is imperative to choose the right breed of bees and take into account the available food supply. Moreover, each type of insect has its own pros and cons.
Features of beekeeping in this region
Beekeeping in Kuban is considered a very promising activity. The same applies to Adygea.It is worth noting that by pollinating many entomophilous plants, it is possible to increase their productivity. This applies to garden and berry crops, vegetables, and grains.
Modern beekeeping is impossible without migration - the movement of insects to honey collection and pollination zones. The migration is carried out throughout the region and beyond.
To comply with the law “On beekeeping in the Krasnodar Territory” it is required to adhere to the following standards:
- Assist beekeepers in transporting bees to honey collection areas and placing them.
- Promptly notify beekeepers about chemical treatments of agricultural plants. This helps prevent bee poisoning.
- Involve beekeepers to pollinate entomophilous crops. This helps to increase their productivity.
Feed base
Different areas are suitable for breeding bees in the region. Depending on this, honey plants are also divided into several groups - forests, agricultural crops, hayfields, forest belts. Thus, forests in the region occupy more than 1.8 million hectares. The largest forest areas are concentrated in the mountains and foothills. They are also found on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. There is a maximum number of wild honey plants.
The main honey plant of shelterbelts is considered to be white acacia. It accounts for almost half of the total area of forest belts. This plant provides up to 90% of the nectar in such an area.
In addition, many honey crops are grown in the Krasnodar region. Most of all sunflower is concentrated there. This plant produces a lot of high quality honey.
Nomadism is widely used in this region. Beekeepers of the region are actively moving to the foothills and gardens. They can migrate to areas where acacia and chestnut grow. The region also makes a lot of honey from sunflowers.Nomadism helps produce up to 10 varieties of monofloral honey.
In the mountains and foothills, plants begin to bloom in the second half of February. At the beginning of spring, beekeepers take bees to the foothills and mountain zones of the Caucasus Range. After this, they move the insects to collect honey from the white acacia. Then comes the turn of sainfoin and sunflower. Bees also collect a lot of honey from coriander.
It is possible to improve the food supply in the region in different ways. There is a high need for protective plantings there. The most useful varieties of honey in this region are considered to be acacia, linden, chestnut, and sunflower.
Suitable breeds
Kuban bees live in the flat areas, and gray mountain Caucasian insects live in the mountains. Today the Kuban breed has almost disappeared. At first it was replaced by gray mountain Caucasian bees, and then by Carpathian bees.
Representatives of other varieties are also imported into the region. These include Italian, carnica, and buckfast. In addition, Ukrainian steppe bees are common in the region. They develop well in such conditions.
The climate makes it possible to obtain early bee packages and queens. Therefore, many beekeepers distribute not only local breeds, but also different types of hybrids. There is usually no spatial isolation, which is why crossbreeds are often found on farms. They are considered not very valuable and are characterized by a tendency to swarm, lack of resistance to pathologies and low productivity.
The Krasnodar region specializes in obtaining purebred gray Caucasian mountain bees. They are bred by private queen breeders who previously worked at the Krasnopolyansk experimental beekeeping station.
Organizations of beekeepers of the Krasnodar region
This area of activity plays a significant role in the agriculture of the Krasnodar region. For its development, a regional society of beekeepers was organized. There is also a Krasnodar Regional Coordination Council there.
The Krasnopolyansk Experimental Beekeeping Station is creating the foundations for this area of activity. Scientists conduct research there in the field of technology for keeping and breeding bees. They are considered the basis for obtaining gray mountain Caucasian bees. The organization’s employees managed to obtain a new breed species called “Krasnopolyansky”.
Based on the university API laboratory of the Kuban State Agrarian University, there are courses for amateur beekeepers. From time to time, it evaluates the quality of the region's bees and the honey produced in the region.
At the same time, beekeeping in the region faces a number of problems. The main reasons that hinder the development of the industry in the region include the following:
- lack of a reliable market for finished beekeeping products;
- a difficult situation with bee pathologies - nosematosis, varroatosis, and foulbrood are common in the region;
- shortage of experienced personnel - every year many bee colonies die due to the fact that beekeepers are not able to timely detect the onset of the disease or properly organize wintering;
- lack of coordination between commodity producers.
Prospects
However, there are prospects for beginners in beekeeping. The region is considered a leader in the agro-industrial complex of the Russian Federation.The climate of the region is favorable for obtaining early bee packages and queens. In addition, there is an excellent scientific base there.
Beekeeping in the Krasnodar region is considered a rather complex activity that is associated with various problems. At the same time, it also has many advantages. This concerns the abundance of honey plants and a favorable climate.
