The Current Situation And Future of Beekeeping in Düzce

Abstract

Düzce is one of the most important provinces in terms of beekeeping and of its geographical location, climate and floral structure in the Western Black Sea region of Türkiye. Düzce has come to the forefront in the beekeeping sector with its registered Yığılca honey bee and patented chestnut honey. The Yığılca ecotype, which is endemic to the Yığılca district of Düzce, is a specialized ecotype in terms of morphological, genetic and physiological aspects and is a highly productive ecotype in terms of behavior and performance. After the Düzce Yığılca ecotype was registered by the breed registration commission of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 9 queen bee production enterprises were established in the district. There are 713 beekeeping enterprises and 59,911 beehives with bees registered in the beekeeping registration system in Düzce. Monofloral chestnut honey, Rhododendron and polyfloral flower honey are produced in the province. However, beekeepers in Düzce province have focused on the production of monofloral chestnut (Castane) and Rhododendron honey. According to the ten-year average, 551 tons/year of honey production is made in Düzce and ranks 54th in Türkiye. Beeswax production is 22,117 tons on average and ranks 46th. In recent periods, emphasis has been given to the production of high value-added products other than honey, such as royal jelly and propolis. However, these types of production are not reflected in the statistics. Although Düzce province is not at the top of Türkiye in terms of beekeeping activities, Düzce province is extremely important for Türkiye due to its local flora and fauna resources, patented chestnut honey and unique Yığılca ecotype.

The purpose of this study is to examine the data on the status of beekeeping in Düzce in the last year, the production and production amounts of bee products, and the applications made in colony care and management, and to make future plans and create a roadmap for Düzce beekeeping.