8 August Great Bee Day. Poland an important producer of honey in the EU
Bees pollinate 70 % of crop species, yet the phenomenon of bee colony die-off is accelerating. The phenomenon of bee extinction in Poland, but also worldwide, has been observed for almost 20 years, but in the last decade it has accelerated.
The Polish Ministry of Agriculture appeals "Plant honey-giving plants, i.e. plants that provide nectar and pollen - in the garden, on the balcony, on wasteland, baulks and even on neglected lawns. Buy seeds or ready-made mixtures from any garden shop. Do this at different times of the year. If you have a garden, leave a wild part in it, with honey-giving meadow plants and places where insects can nest."
In addition, "we should also not burn fallen leaves and dried grasses, as they provide nesting and hiding places for many insects. The soil in the garden should also not be dug up too often, as many insects also nest there. "Prepare a drinker for the bees. This can simply be a container with water and stones or sticks for the insects to stand on to drink the water. Avoid insecticides and pesticides that are toxic to bees. Choose natural pesticides and organic farming products. Try to choose local products, from the immediate area, or at least produced in the European Union." - suggests the Ministry and encourages all Poles to act.
The beekeeping sector in Poland receives more than 10 million € annually to reimburse the costs incurred by beekeepers. This aid comes from the Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy for 2023-2027. In addition, the Polish government provides the beekeeping sector with de minimis aid (intended for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs). The aid rate is 12 € per overwintered bee colony. In 2024, 18 million € are foreseen for beekeepers as part of this aid.
Poland is an important producer of honey in the European Union with a steadily increasing number of beekeepers and bee colonies - in 2023 there were over 97 000 beekeepers with over 2.3 million bee colonies. Both 2022 and 2023 were years of record honey harvest in Poland - 24 000 and 27 400 t of honey were harvested respectively
Source: MinRol, PortalSpożywczy