The Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD) and the Latin American International Federation of Apiculture (FILAPI) explained that the main Dominican beekeeping export markets, which are the United States, Puerto Rico and Caribbean islands such as Martinique and Curacao, have been affected by climate change.
As explained in the scientific journal The Beekeepers, Climate change “causes disorder or even non-existence of flowering. This is a serious problem for bees and other pollinators, putting pollination at risk. Insects are very sensitive to changes in temperature.” They even claim that currently, a beekeeper loses between 30% and 40% of swarms each year.
In 2023 alone, the honey production was 629,817 kilograms, according to data from the National Statistics Office (ONE). In addition, it is estimated that there are currently more than 100,000 beehives and 4,000 beekeepers in the country, of which only 2,569 are entered into the beekeeping traceability system, 189 not entered and 1,056 registered with a Unique Beekeeper Code.
For this reason, and to promote this market in the Dominican Republic, the JAD and FILAPI presented the upcoming celebration of the XVI Latin American Congress of Apiculture (FILAPI 2024), which will take place from November 13 to 16, 2024 at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) and seeks that the beekeepingas a business, catapults, grows and expands in the country.
The CEO of the JADOsmar BenÃtez, stated that the main theme will be sustainability in the beekeeping Latin American and the importance of the collaboration between beekeeping organizations and other relevant actors, to promote more responsible practices in this sector. “The beekeeping “It’s an easy way for rural people to earn more income and employment opportunities,” the CEO said.
“This congress will serve to ensure that beekeepers be trained and learn new things technologies and good management to achieve good production,” he added. He also said that they will address the issue of pollination in coordination with all fruit and vegetable producers, which “will benefit both the beekeeper and the producer.”
“With good cross-pollination, they will have an increase in production of 30% to 40% more, that is what we want,” said BenÃtez.
The Congress will also include the following topics:
- Biology of bees
- Bee health
- Adulteration
- Promotion of beehive products
- ProFlora and bee pollination
- Beekeeping for him development
- Beekeeping economy
- Beekeeping technology and quality
- Apitherapy
- Social bees
The president of the Beekeeping Committee of the JADRicardo Caballero was also present during the press conference and stated that such a congress “will be a chance to boost the development of the beekeeping sector in the Dominican Republic.”
