Beekeepers in the province of Las Tunas failed to meet the main production indicators in 2024. However, an increase was reported in that period, which could indicate the beginning of the recovery of this activity.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- There are conditions and potentialities in the territory, according to Félix Cordero Álvarez, director of the Cuban Apiculture Enterprise, who urged to take advantage of them to support the socioeconomic development of the country because these are exportable items that are also marketed in retail.

He said that the link with producers is already being strengthened here. This is an elemental way to diagnose difficulties and solve them quickly, acknowledging the performance specialists' performance-enhancing experiences and advising breeders.

In the last calendar year, the province only collected 287.2 tons of honey - out of 400 tons planned - and this result was influenced by the rains in May and June and especially by the lack of fuel for transhumance during the flowering season of romerillo and other melliferous plants.

The remaining production of the 12,260 hives included wax (5,883.1 kilograms), pollen (739.6 kilograms), and royal jelly (1.6 kilograms). The commitments for propolis (1,108.8 kilograms) and queen bees (12,509 kilograms) were honored.

In 2024, progress was made in the search for alternatives to improve the economy of the Las Tunas Beekeeping base business unit, including the development center, a store and a point of sale, an organoponic, and a carpentry shop that manufactures items in great popular demand. They also improved the collection of seeds, planting of live poles, and other reforestation tasks, as well as the prevention of insect diseases, which meant that there were no cases of Ascosferosis, American foulbrood, and Polillosis.

A honey plan similar to the previous year was maintained for 2025. The challenges are promoting meliponiculture, strengthening contracting, certifying the genetic program, prioritizing the production of hive elements, and joining international projects. Also, expand the link with the University of Las Tunas and other organizations, achieve ecological production, concretize the management of the technical advisory group, multiply beekeeping in the municipality of Amancio, and consolidate the queen bee hives.