THE Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, through its Apiculture Unit, has announced a $5-million support package for bee-keepers affected by Hurricane Beryl in July.

Portfolio Minister Floyd Green, who made the disclosure, said the funds will be used to provide essential inputs like sugar, as well as help to restore colonies and equipment for bee-keepers who suffered losses.

“I say to our beek-eepers, help is on its way. That money has already been allocated and we’re going to provide some support,” Green said while addressing the St James Bee Farmers Association’s Healthy Lifestyle Day held at the St James Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) office in Catherine Hall on Thursday.

In addition to the recovery fund, the ministry has secured $1.8-million worth of pollen supplements through international partnerships to revitalise bee populations. These supplements are critical for restoring the vitality of the beekeeping population, further strengthening the recovery efforts, said Green.

Furthermore, the ministry is on a mission to solve a key challenge faced by bee-keepers, and that is a lack of knowledge surrounding the cost of production.

The minister explained that to address this issue the ministry is undertaking a national cost-of-production study.

“What we’re going to be doing is to develop a cost-of-production tool that will work with your bee associations, like the St James Bee Farmers Association, so that you can help your farmers to calculate your cost of production,” Green said.

“We’re then going to put that tool on the ministry’s website. So anybody who wants to go into beekeeping and wondering what it is going to cost them and how much they will be able to make at the end of the day, they can use the tool,” he added.

Training and sensitisation efforts will also be increased to enhance productivity and profitability within the sector.

In the meantime, Green praised the Apiculture Unit for their extensive work, including the inspection of more than 14,000 colonies and the establishment of more than 160 new apiaries since the start of the year.

Additionally, he indicated that the unit has stayed focused on safety and quality control as well as ensuring that more than 360 supermarkets and health food stores adhere to the high standards for honey production in Jamaica.

Chairman of the St James Bee Farmers Association Dennis McKay said that beekeeping is synonymous with promoting healthy living and advocated for the adoption of natural remedies made from honey, noting the environmental and economic benefits of beekeeping.

“We encourage as many people as possible to get into beekeeping because it can be a lucrative business. As far as we know, Jamaica doesn’t produce enough honey to export, and it’s a lucrative business that many other people can get involved in,” said McKay.

The event was organised in collaboration with RADA and the St James Health Department. It featured bee farmers from across the parish who displayed an array of honey products and by-products.

— JIS