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Bee Bread Production—A New Source of Income for Beekeeping Farms?

Author

Listed:
  • Piotr Semkiw

    (The National Institute of Horticultural Research, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland)

  • Piotr Skubida

    (The National Institute of Horticultural Research, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland)

Abstract

Bee bread, i.e., floral pollen collected and partially processed by honey bees, is a source of many compounds beneficial for the human health. So far, the level of bee bread production in apiaries has been low due to many factors. However, development of such production may be significant as a new source of income for beekeepers. In spring 2015 a three-year study was started to determine bee bread production scale in honey bee colonies and assess the economic efficiency of such production. The experiment included 28 honey bee colonies each year; the colonies were divided into four groups. Each group tested different brood nest configuration or frames’ placement against the hive entrance for the amount of harvested bee bread. All the costs, including labor input, were related to the process of bee bread production. Depending on the group, it was possible to harvest from 0.51 to 1.23 kg of bee bread from one colony. The average production amounted to 0.7 kg, and the entire apiary gave 20 kg of bee bread annually. Annual costs connected to bee bread production amounted to 679.5 EUR, while the estimated income from sales amounted to 1110 EUR. Thus, the profit was 430.5 EUR, i.e., 21.5 EUR per 1 kg of harvested bee bread. The highest costs were connected to labor and they may potentially comprise a factor limiting the development of bee bread production in apiaries.

Suggested Citation

  • Piotr Semkiw & Piotr Skubida, 2021. "Bee Bread Production—A New Source of Income for Beekeeping Farms?," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-13, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:11:y:2021:i:6:p:468-:d:559083
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Teresina Mancuso & Luca Croce & Monica Vercelli, 2020. "Total Brood Removal and Other Biotechniques for the Sustainable Control of Varroa Mites in Honey Bee Colonies: Economic Impact in Beekeeping Farm Case Studies in Northwestern Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-16, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Erkan Topal & Leonora Adamchuk & Ilaria Negri & Mustafa Kösoğlu & Giulia Papa & Maria Sorina Dârjan & Mihaiela Cornea-Cipcigan & Rodica Mărgăoan, 2021. "Traces of Honeybees, Api-Tourism and Beekeeping: From Past to Present," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-21, October.

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