When there is less than a month left to finish the current calendar, the 133 beekeepers of the Las Tunas province do not give up on fulfilling the honey collection plan, amounting to 400 tons on this occasion. The goal is difficult because, until the end of October, some 37 tons were owed.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- However, the situation could change, after accounting for November results, and with an extra boost from two angles: a better availability of fuel and the flowering of the purple bellflower.
Historically, the last quarter is decisive in this effort, according to Luis Manuel Peralta Agüero, director of the Beekeeping Base Business Unit (UEB), who assured that a strategy was designed that will allow to honor the commitments or get closer to them.
“The main cause of this delay has been the lack of fuel. For example, in January, we should have moved to the north coast, looking for the honey-producing potential of the rosemary flower, around four thousand hives. We were only able to move 1,800.
“In February, we also had difficulties with this resource and could only collect 50 percent of the potential. More or less, this situation has remained the same for the rest of the months. We intend to recover because 52 percent of the year's plan is concentrated between October and December.”
WAX AND PROPOLIS, IMPORTANT LINES
Beekeepers in Las Tunas fulfill both lines and grew concerning the same period of the previous year, which is stimulating, especially due to their therapeutic properties and their use in the production of creams, soaps, polishes, and other products.
“Until the end of October, we had a wax plan amounting to 3,976 kilograms and managed to collect 4,233. As for propolis, of the 883 kilograms planned for the first ten months of the year, we have already accumulated 996,” added Peralta Agüero.
“In 2023 we began to count the pollen; so far collected 717 kilograms. This year, we already have more than 600 kilograms and it is expected to harvest a little more. However, we need to train the producers and make a better selection. In addition, fuel also has an impact because this substance is extracted every four or five days.”
USEFUL AND SOLIDARY CARPENTRY
Enrique Vázquez Acosta, head of the small carpentry shop that the UEB has at its headquarters in Río Potrero, spends his days among pieces of wood, some machines, and sawdust. He challenges stereotypes by undertaking new jobs.
There, the fundamental mission is manufacturing the different elements of the hives; so its contribution to the development of beekeeping is notable. In addition, the search for alternatives and the work of the collective have allowed various articles to come to life, very popular among the people of Las Tunas.
“The first thing is what we can contribute so that the province increases the honey collection from bees. That is why we prioritize the elements of the hive and, according to the demand, we make Langstroth boxes (the most used) and half-supers, lids, bottoms, and other parts.
“Among the items of great popular demand, we manufacture shoe racks, baskets, picture frames, and pointers, just to mention a few. We sell them in the UEB store, at the point of sale, and at the agricultural trade fairs held in the territory.”
Amid this hustle and bustle, Vázquez Acosta and his workers find time to produce the resources required by the province of Guantánamo, which is engaged in recovering the production. This territory lost many hives due to Hurricane Oscar's rains and strong winds.
PRODUCING FOOD, ANOTHER TASK IN DEVELOPMENT
Without fear and with humility, the group of workers asked the help of the specialists of the national movement of Urban, Suburban, and Family Agriculture in Las Tunas to design an organoponic. It seemed crazy but it wasn't; quite the opposite.
Today, this small space has generated more than 20 thousand pesos of income from the sale of products to workers and residents in the community. These results satisfy Everaldo González Arias, who is in charge. Every Friday, the others accompany him.
“We have seven vegetable beds, which are already covered with lettuce for sale to the workers at the end of this year. There is also guava, sour orange, pumpkin, 300 cassava plants, plum, mango, chives, chard, coconut, and tamarind.
“We have planted some honey plants, such as the flowering pinon and Lippia nodoflora -a bush with great flowering-, because we have already started raising bees from the land. Recently, 200 grams of this honey were collected, which were delivered to be studied for the preparation of natural medicines.”
The UEB maintains its purpose of fulfilling the production plan of its main line, knowing that it is a sector that returns foreign currency to the country. At the same time, it seeks alternatives to inject money into current accounts and provide services to the workers and the population.
In this expansion of their work, they consolidated the development center, and in cooperation with Labiofam, they produced honey with propolis and ventured into the production of honey wine. They also offer material support to several families in vulnerable conditions.