Bulgaria – Serbia IPA Cross-border Programme,
CCI Number 2007CB16IPO006
The Beekeeping as an Alternative to the
Unemployment And a Steady Base for a Sustainable
Development in the Bulgarian-Serbian Cross-Border
Region
Project № 2007CB16IPO006-2011-2-96
Analysis of the potential of development of organic beekeeping in
the Niš and Pirot district
Serbian Union of Agricultural
Engineers and Technicians
The project is co-funded by EU trough the Bulgaria–Serbia IPA Cross-border Programme
INTRODUCTION
• As in the majority of other countries, the border districts in Bulgaria and Serbia are less
developed. One of the directions of enhancing economic state of these districts is base on the
promotion and the development of rural enterprising. The convenient natural conditions,
relative environment preservation and biodeversity presents good preconditions of the
development of organic agriculture, for which the high degree of local inhabitants interest
exist.
• The total turnover of organic food at the world marke generated in 2011 amounted
to 63.8 billions US$, which is an increase for 48.6 billion US$ or 4.2 times greater than 1999
when 15.2 billion US$.
Europe took share in the world market of organic food in 2011 by 21,5 billion US$.
The market of organic food is increasing in Europe, where Germany is the top leader with
6,59 billion € (30%), and France follows with 3,76 billion €(17%).
• The estimated value of organic production market of the Former Yugoslavia
(Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro) in 2010
amounted to 120 million €, out of which Serbia achieved 40 billion € turnover (Jansen and
Schaer, 2012).
Current situation in organic beekeeping in Serbia
The data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection
of the Republic of Serbia in 2014 години shows:
• 1337 bee colonies in the status of conversion for the organic
beekeeping production,
• 603 bee colonies are certified for the organic beekeeping.
The District of Southern and Eastern Serbia includes:
• 717 bee colonies in the period of conversion
• 450 bee colonies certified for the organic beekeeping.
Law Regulations of the Organic Beekeeping in Serbia
• European Union adopted the following legal regulations (bylaws) in the area
of organic agriculture :
• Legal acts of the Council (EC) no. 834/2007 оn organic production
and labeling of organic products when came into effect replaced the
legal acts (EC) no. 2092/91 and
• Legal acts (EC) no. 889/2008 which prescribes the detailed rules for
enforcing legal acts (EC) no. 834/2007.
• In Serbia due to the resulting legislative changes in the area of organic
agricultural production in European Union and the requirement for national
legislation in the sphere of organic agricultural production in European
Union and the requirement for national legislation to meet the demands of
European Union the following is adopted :
- The Law on organic production (Official Gazette of Republic of
Serbia 30/10) dated 07/05/2010 and based on this Law , The Rulebook
was published next year and started to be applied
- The Rulebook on control and certification in organic production
and methods of organic production (Official Gazette of Republic of
Serbia no. 48/11).
Figure 2. Design of the logo from the
conversion period
Figure1. Design of the logo and national logo
for the organic product
Table1. Protected areas and the numbers of national parks in Serbia and surrounding
countries Source: http://www.ceecec.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/SEE-Report_Serbian.pdf
Country
Serbia
Protected Territory (%)
Number of national parks
6,5
5
FRY Macedonia
7,13
3
Croatia
6,49
8
Bulgaria
9,53
3
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
Albany
0,53
2
2,4
6
• Republic of Serbia is characterized by rich, heterogeneous and natural heritage
and high mountain and mountain region presents one of six centers of the
European biodiversity.
• Biodiversity of various groups of living organisms in Serbia is high, which can be
vividly presented by the fact that the territory of Serbia has :
39% of European vascular flora; 51% of European fish fauna; 49% of European
reptilian and amphibian fauna; 74% European bird fauna and 67% European
mammals fauna.
Identification of the contamination sources in the Niš and Pirot
District
• It is stated that in the territory of Nis and Pirot District the strategic documents
from the municipalities in this territory show the preservation of biodiversity of flora
and fauna.
• The Nis and Pirot District has a good quality land. The potential sources of
contamination appear in the agriculture due to the irregular application of the
pesticides and mineral fertilizers, as well as their irregular disposal.
• The potential risk comes from watercourses, which can be noticed from the
example of the river Nisava, since the unfiltered waste waters from Pirot and Nis.
• In the majority of southeast Serbian towns the great problem arises in the
villages, since there is no organized transportation of garbage, and therefore the
illegal dumps.
• The problem arises also with the rural settlements without sewage system, and
therefore contamination of the ground waters, water sources and wells appears.
Table 2. The areas with orchards as the source of bee garden contamination (%)
Source: data processing of the author based on poll research
Agriculture as a contamination
source
Total
yes
no
Orchard close to
bee garden
yes
40,9
no
2,7
total
44,6
11,8
43,6
56,4
85,5
14,5
100,0
Table 3. The areas of crop farming as a source of bee garden contamination
Agriculture as a
contamination source
yes
no
Crop cultures close to bee
garden
total
yes
no
30,6
12,9
43,5
29,6
26,9
56,5
Source: data processing of the author based on poll research
Total
60,2
39,8
100,0
Graph 3. The opinions of beekeepers on the most significant problems in honey
production
Insufficient subventions for
beekeeping
bad purchasing power of the
inhabitants
Lack of financial funds
Lack of honey grazing
0
50
150
Using chemical substances in agriculture
Lack of consciousness of the product consumers
costs of equipment, tools and accessories
Small market for placing honey and honey products
High costs of packing
Impossibility of exporting honey and honey products
Lack of certificates for the organic production
Difficulties in procurement of equipment, tools and accessories
Source: data processing of the author based on poll
research
Convenient regions and honey graying for organic beekeeping in
Nis and Pirot District
• Organic beekeeping presents the development chance of the beekeeping in
Serbia, especially in the border region which is being analyzed. The placing of
products of the higher processing degree, especially organic honey per higher
prices in relation to the products from the conventional beekeeping enables to the
agricultural manufacturers – beekeepers to achieve higher income and enhance life
standard.
Map 1. Protected natural resources and ecological
network in the Nis and Pirot District
• The potential localities which can be highlighted for the organic beekeeping are
conditioned not only by the ecologically clean environment, but also by the natural
surrounding which provides to the honey bee enough quantity of nectar, pollen
powder and clean water.
• The spring grazing in Nis and Pirot District is good for the development of bee
colony. The beekeepers located their bee gardens mainly in the rural settlements
near to the smaller or bigger local watercourses, where there are conditions for the
early grazing, when the bees first collect pollen, and then nectar.
Figure 1. The bees in the spring grazing of European Cornel (Cornus mas), cherry
plum (Prunus cerasifera), white clover (Trifolium repens).
Based on the empirical research the production of acacia and meadow honey in the Nis and
Pirot District is the most dominant. The first acacia grazing starts from the municipality
Razanj around 6th May and going towards Svljig and Babusnica the period of acacia
Inflorescence moves. From Nis and Svrljig towards Dimitrovgrad there are a number of
localities convenient for meadow grazing which flourishes even till August.
• Out of the total number of interviewed beekeepers included in the empirical research
carried out for the requirements of the Project, 81,3% produce acacia honey and 65,2%
produces meadow honey.
• A beekeeper produces averagely 546 kg of acacia honey, i.e. 292 kg of meadow honey.
• Therefore organic beekeeping in Nis and Pirot District should be based on utilization of
these two greatest honey grazing.
Figure 2. Bee gardens based on acacia and meadow grazing
Broadly speaking, the regions convenient for the organic
beekeeping include the total territory of the municipalities Babusnica
and Dimitrovgrad, as well as the micro localities from the other
municipalities of Nis and Pirot District.
Strictly speaking, the regions convenient for the organic
beekeeping include exclusively micro regions in which the
environment is completely preserved.
Source: Drafting of the author of the Study
Map 3. The regions convenient for the organic beekeeping in Nis and Pirot District
Table 4. The regions convenient for the organic beekeeping in general sense
Number of FAF with bee hives
Number of
Family
agricultural
farms (FAF*)
Territory
Number
Share in number
of FAF
Number of bee hives
Total
Per FAF with bee
hives
Total territory
The Republic of Serbia
Nis +
Pirot District
631.552
31.287
5,0
668.120
21
43.156
2.621
6,1
47.505
18
Nis District
31.283
1.675
5,4
31.572
19
Pirot District
11.873
946
8,0
15.933
17
The territory convenient for the organic beekeeping in general sense
Nis +
Pirot District
11.772
1033
8,8
17.645
17
Nis District
6.592
504
7,6
9.371
19
Pirot District
5.180
529
10,2
8.274
16
Share of the territories for organic beekeeping in general sense in the total territory
(%)
Nis +
Pirot District
27,3
39,4
-
37,1
-
Nis District
21,1
30,1
-
29,7
-
Pirot District
43,6
55,9
-
51,9
-
•Family agricultural farms (FAF*)
•Source: Data processing by the author based on the result of Census of Agriculture 2012
Table 5. The regions convenient for the organic beekeeping in narrow sense
Number of FAF with bee hives
Number of
Family
agricultural
farms (FAF*)
Territory
Number
Share in number of
FAF
Number of bee hives
Total
Per FAF with bee
hives
Укупна територија
The Republic of Serbia
631.552
31.287
Nis +
Pirot District
43.156
2.621
5,0
6,1
668.120
47.505
21
18
Nis District
31.283
1.675
5,4
31.572
19
Pirot District
11.873
946
8,0
15.933
17
The territory convenient for the organic beekeeping in narrow sense
Nis +
Pirot District
8.529
644
7,6
11.468
18
Nis District
6.592
504
7,6
9.371
19
Pirot District
1.937
140
7,2
2.097
15
Share of the territories for organic beekeeping in narrow sense in the total territory
(%)
Nis +
Pirot District
19,8
24,6
-
24,1
-
Nis District
21,1
30,1
-
29,7
-
Pirot District
16,3
14,8
-
13,2
-
•Family agricultural farms (FAF*)
•Source: Data processing by the author based on the result of Census of Agriculture 2012
• Assuming that the total number of bee colonies from Nis and Pirot District
(47.505) with the average yield amounting to 22 kg per bee hive serves the
purpose of organic beekeeping, it might be possible to produce maximum 1.045
tones of organic honey.
• If the assumptions for including beekeeper in organic beekeeping are made on
the basis of the developed European countries (which are defined at the level of
8% out of the total number of bee hives), the production of around 83,6 tones of
organic honey in Nis and Pirot District might be expected.
• Preconditions for including in organic beekeeping exist since the sort of bee known
as Apis mellifera carnica is raised in the bee gardens with the partial influences of
Apis mellifera macedonica.
• There are good localities with acacia and meadow grazing.
• Dadan Blat bee hive type dominates in the bee gardens and it can produce the
pure sort honey even in the weaker grazing such as meadow grazing.
• The greatest number of beekeepers (53,60%) changes 30% of old honey comb
during the beekeeping season and insert new honey comb foundations, 22,60% of
the beekeepers throws out 20% of the old honey comb.
• The greatest number of beekeepers (80,3%) pack the honey in plastic package
• The analyses of honey from this are have not detected any harmful residues.
SWOT anaylis of organic beekeeping in Nis and Pirot District
Advantages
Convenient natural conditions
Relatively preserved environment
Existence of large spaces for good quality grazing
Great interest of beekeepers
Weaknesses
Lack of knowledge concerning the demands of organic
production (by beekeepers)
The necessity for certification of the production
Production fragmentation – small number of bee hives
per beekeeper
Lack of certified grazing for organic beekeeping (lack of
land-registry of organic grazing)
Lack of processing certified facility for processing and
improving quality of honey
Opportunities
Threats
Increasing demand for honey from organic beekeeping
Higher price of honey from organic beekeeping The
possibility of exporting organic honey
Production of other organic bee products
Utilization of national and local subventions for organic
production and beekeeping
High costs of certification
Contamination from agriculture and industry
Relatively difficult access to foreign markets with smaller
packages of products
Potential of organic beekeeping
development in Nis and Pirot District
• Large areas under acacia forest which dominates in the region of Nis (Public
Enterpris “Srbija Sume” estimates the areas under acacia to be around 1148 ha)
and rich meadow graze which dominates in Pirot District are potential which honey
bee should utilize in the system of organic beekeeping.
• Specific feature of beekeeping in DB bee hive enables production of good quality
honey sort.
• The risk is the choice and application of the means against mites Varroa
destructor. By entering the process of certification for organic beekeeping the
medicaments which are allowed in this production system must be used.
• The problem in organic beekeeping of this area might be the chemical
contaminators from the agriculture and from other agricultural producers. By
continual cooperation with the manufacturers in other segments of agricultural
production, their education on methods of protecting their crops and plants in the
manner which will not harm the bees, this problem might be successfully solved.
Economic effects of organic beekeeping
• Beekeepers are divided in four categories : “amateur “ beekeeper up to 20 bee
hives; „small“ from 21 to 50 bee hives, “semi-professional“ from 51 to 100 bee
hives and “professional “ beekeepers with more than 100 hives.
Table 6. The total revenues and expenses of the beekeepers dealing with organic production,
at the annual level, per interval groups (in RSD)
Number of bee
hives in bee
garden
Revenues
Expenses –
According to
conventional
production
Estimated
certification costs
Estimated costs
of replacing
Total expenses
honey comb
foundations
Difference
(revenues –
expenses)
Up to 20
97.597
50.892
60.000
21.600
132.492
-34.895
21 to 50
340.718
108.199
70.000
64.800
242.999
97.720
51 to 100
711.147
196.938
80.000
Over 100
1.483.194
472.868
90.000
Source: Data processed by the author of the Study based on the research
126.000
275.400
402.938
838.268
308.209
644.926
• For the requirement of making calculation we assume that the costs of providing
certificate are around 500 euros for the category of hobby beekeeper and that they
are increasing linearly by the number of bee hives.
• Although the calculation is based on the expenses calculated for the conventional
production there are certain differences in the costs made in organic beekeeping.
Conclusions and recommendations
• Among four statistic regions in Serbia (NUTS 2), organic agriculture is the most
represented in the Region of Vojvodina (72% certified areas for plant production),
The Region of South and East Serbia follows with (16%) – including Nis and Pirot
which are the part of this Project.
• The results of the poll research in Nis and Pirot District indicate that :
(1) 59,4% beekeepers want to engage in organic beekeeping; but
(2) 46,0% beekeepers are not familiar with the requirements and standards of
organic beekeeping.
• Based on the analysis of the condition and quality of air, water, land and
biodiversity in certain municipalities in Nis and Pirot District, it is stated that there are
no dangers of industrial contaminations.
• The application of the chemical agencies in the conventional agriculture is the
potential danger – especially in the areas close to the orchards and because of the
pesticides us during the inflorescence of the fruits (43% of the interviewed
beekeepers), and to some extent from the watercourse contamination by utility waste
water which are not filtered in the great number of municipality.
Three main goals of the enhancement of organic beekeeping in Nis and Pirot Districh
have been defined :
(1) increase of the production of the food and higher market value organic honey;
(2) more complete use of the available and enhanced honey flora in the localities which
meet the demands of the organic beekeeping;
(3) increase of employment and revenues of the beekeepers in more valuable market
production of organic honey and other organic bee products.
• Out of the total number of interviewed beekeepers 81,3% produces acacia
honey, and 65,2% meadow honey, so that the organic beekeeping in Nis and
Pirot District should be based primarily on the utilization of these two greatest
honey graze.
• In the territory convenient for the organic beekeeping in Nis and Pirot District
broadly speaking there are 1.033 bee gardens with 17.645 bee hives or 37,1% of
their total number in the territory included in this Project, in which a bee garden
produces averagely 22 kg of honey, which means that we can expect the
production of around 388 tones of organic honey.
• If in the territories convenient for the development of the organic beekeeping in
Nis and Pirot District only micro localities are included in narrow sense, i.e. the
villages in which the preserved environment without the potential contaminators is
identified, the capacities of 644 bee gardens with 11.468 bee hives or 24,1% of
their total number may produce around 252 tones of organic honey.
• If the potentials of the organic beekeeping in Nis and Pirot District are calculated
on the basis of the average of the developed European countries (8% out of
total number of bee hives), we can expect the production of 84 tones of organic
honey.
In order to achieve the stated goals it is recommended :
• to force the activities of the beekeeper associations regarding the principles and
standards of the organic beekeeping;
• the constant education for the purpose of increasing knowledge and skills of the
beekeepers in the organic production;
• organizational and financial motivation of the beekeepers to convert from
conventional to organic production;
• increasing the capacities for improving the quality of honey, package and placement
of the organic honey and other organic bee products in the new established
beekeeping union or organizational and economically even more perspective regional
branch of the National beekeeping union;
• cooperation with other unions of the agricultural workers for the purpose of controlling
and reducing the contamination from agriculture;
• increased control and protection of the environment; and
• making of the land registries for the honey grazing in the regions convenient for the
development of the organic beekeeping.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union throughthe
Cross-Border Programme CCI No 2007CB16IPO006. The contents of this publication are the
sole responsibility of Beekeepers Association “Kovanluk” and can in no way be taken to reflect
the views of the European Union or the Managing Authority of the Programme