LUSA 10/03/2025

Lusa - Business News - Portugal: Honey production falls 70% in north eastern regions - REPORT

Braganca, Portugal, Oct. 2, 2025 (Lusa)- Honey production in north eastern Portugal has fallen by around 70% in the Montesinho Natural Park, reaching 90% in some cases, and by around 60% in the Terra Quente region, namely Mirandela, several beekeepers have told Lusa.

According to the National Federation of Beekeepers of Portugal (FNAP), it is estimated that in the Terra Quente area alone, dozens of tonnes of honey have been lost because "the hives grew to start producing and, when they were starting their production, when there was flowering, the temperature changed radically".

"The weather was good, but 20 days later it was rainy, windy, with very low temperatures, they retreated, stopped laying eggs, the old bees died, there was no renewal, the number of bees inside the hive decreased, they did not recover, and there was no production of honey," explained FNAP president Manuel Gonçalves, on Wednesday, who is also responsible for the Montesinho Natural Park Beekeepers' Association.

In this protected area, the hives were severely affected. Maria João Pires was one of the beekeepers affected in the district of Bragança. She has about 900 hives, which produced just over 20% of honey. ‘It is very complicated for us as producers because we were counting on that production to sell, and with an 80% drop, it is very difficult to market the product," she said.

According to the producer, the constant weather changes were a problem, but so were the fires. The Montesinho Natural Park was affected by a fire in July, destroying plants and, consequently, food for the bees. Therefore, the alternative is to feed the hives. "Either we do that, or the bees die," explained the young woman, adding that this brings "more costs" and "there is no support". "Either we have money on our side to invest, or we won't be able to supplement and we'll end up losing the hives, the honey and we'll end up losing everything," she stressed.

The beekeeper calls for "significant support from the Government" so that producers can survive. She considers that the amount allocated in subsidies "is not enough" and, therefore, she does not even resort to aid because "it is not worth it".

Another of the beekeepers affected was Francisco Peres. He has about 200 hives in Mirandela, but with a "very large" drop in production. "A drop of around 50% or more. Here, with these 40 hives, I usually harvest a thousand kilos of honey, but this year I didn't even reach 300 kilos," he lamented.

Francisco also criticises the support provided, given the crisis the beekeeping sector is going through. "These hives have been treated four times this year and the aid is only for two treatments, so it's not enough," he pointed out.

Mirandela was one of the districts ravaged by fires this summer. The president of the Cooperativa de Mel da Terra Quente e Frutos Secos (Hot Land Honey and Dried Fruit Cooperative), José Domingos, told Lusa that more than 10,000 hives burned in this area, with some producers losing almost 300 hives to the flames.

Given this scenario, he fears that some beekeepers may give up the activity. "Last year, production was below average, but it was accepted. This year, it was not possible to maintain the hives. If we are working, if we are spending money - and everything in beekeeping is expensive - and then there is no income, people consider abandoning the activity," he said.

And as the saying goes, "misfortune never comes alone." After a spring with unstable weather and a summer with fires, autumn has now arrived with a strong attack by the Asian hornet, or velutin, which feeds on bees. "Because of the velutin, the bees don't leave the hives, and if we don't feed them, they end up starving to death," explained beekeeper Francisco Peres, who has "11 traps" in an apiary with about 40 hives, where he has managed to catch "hundreds" of Asian hornets. "This is a very serious problem," he said.

So serious that it threatens the agricultural sector and all human existence, given that bees contribute to food production through pollination. "Agriculture is also beginning to be at risk. Beekeeping stimulates all this, it enables production. If we start to decline, to give up [beekeeping], almond orchards in particular will have difficulties in their production," said José Domingos.

Due to the fires, across the northern region, according to data from the National Federation of Beekeepers of Portugal, 14,000 hives were affected, with around 4,000 being completely destroyed.

As for support related to production potential, the president of the federation, Manuel Gonçalves, said that, to cope with the losses, beekeepers are paid to provide "pollination services," particularly in almond and walnut farms, with "income that compensates them for the loss of production they are experiencing."

Honey producers whose hives were destroyed by the flames were also able to apply for government aid of €10,000.

 

 

 

 

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