site.btaBeekeepers Cite Climate Change, Bee Diseases and Bear Attacks as Key Challenges

Climate change, bee diseases and bear attacks are the three biggest challenges facing Bulgarian beekeepers today. They were at the centre of discussion at the 61st North-South National Beekeepers' Meeting, held at the foot of the Troyan Pass on Saturday. More than 300 beekeepers from across the country gathered among the green slopes of the Balkan Mountains to share experience and confront common problems.

"We organize this meeting so we can exchange good practices, speak openly about the difficulties and learn from one another in a way only fellow beekeepers can," says Petar Mutafov, Chairman of the Queen Bee Beekeepers' Association in Troyan, which organizes the event with the support of the municipality.

Mutafov says some of the biggest challenges for honey producers in the Balkan Mountains are the raids of brown bears. Several animals have been roaming the villages near Troyan, destroying hives. The Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water in Pleven says that seven bear attacks on apiaries have been reported so far in August. 

Compensation is available from the Environment Ministry to registered farmers, but many local beekeepers are not formally registered because of the high social security burden. "That means they have no access to claims and must cover the losses themselves," Mutafov adds. The beekeepers' association in Troyan has 53 members, but only a handful are registered as agricultural producers.

This year yields are particularly low after a late spring snowfall damaged the fruit trees and was quickly followed by drought. The average honey harvest dropped from the usual 15-20 kilograms per hive to just 6.5-10 kilos. Prices make matters worse, with wholesale honey selling for as little as BGN 4.20-4.50 per kilo.

For Alexander Yovchev from the southwestern town of Kyustendil, climate change and bee diseases are the greatest obstacles, no matter the region. He manages three apiaries with over 100 hives in the Osogovo Mountain, on the border with North Macedonia. Although he is a registered farmer, both he and his wife still work other jobs to ensure a stable income.

"The good news is that Bulgarians are increasingly seeking real, high-quality honey," Yovchev notes. He has avoided selling to large retail chains, saying the terms there are impossible for small producers.

A similar approach guides Hristina Yakofova from Plovdiv, whose family keeps three apiaries, marketing their honey mainly at fairs and exhibitions. "I advise young beekeepers not to rush into large numbers of hives and not to sell their honey for next to nothing. It is better to build their markets gradually," she says.

For Yakofova, too, the biggest challenges stem from shifting climate, with harsh winters, dry summers and water shortages.

As discussions unfold, the Beklemeto tourist complex buzzes with activity. Certified honey and bee products, equipment, specialized literature and queen bees from licensed farms are on display. The programme also includes lectures on preparing colonies for winter and a discussion with municipal and national beekeepers' associations.

Among the crowd is 83-year-old Hristo Danov, the oldest participant in the gathering, who has attended regularly for four decades. For him, the annual meeting will endure.