Honey harvest in Latvia this year will be lower than last year, taking into account the unfavorable beginning of spring for harvesting, Valters Brusbārdis, a researcher of the Latvian Beekeeping Association, told LETA.
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According to him, although the overall honey harvest this year will not be the worst in history, it will not be too good. “Honey will be, but the harvest will be worse,” said the specialist.
The worse honey harvest than last year is mainly due to the relatively cool spring, which is why bees did not harvest early spring honey this year. The first half of May was very cold, so the crop potentially harvested there was irretrievably lost and production only began in the last decade of May. “As a result, there is a rather large period of time when honey can be collected, because spring is a productive time,” said Brusbārdis.
He acknowledged that the summer weather was “more or less” favorable for the honey harvest. However, honey harvesting varies between regions. Kurzeme has a good honey yield, while in Central and Eastern Latvia it is lower.
Asked which crops have yielded a very good honey harvest this year, he said that the yield of rapeseed in Kurzeme was relatively good in the last week of flowering. As in other years, linden honey dominates in Riga, but in general the collection of honey of various species was not bad. Now is the time to collect heather honey.
Brusbārdis also said that not only in Latvia, but also in Europe as a whole, the honey harvest is worse this year. Due to the demand for honey abroad, the wholesale price for it has risen this year. However, residents have the opportunity to buy honey at retail for a similar price as last year.
Armands Krauze, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Beekeeping Association, confirmed to LETA that this year’s honey harvest will be lower than last year. Honey harvest is different in different parts of Latvia, in some places it is average, but elsewhere, for example, a beekeeper in Kurzeme has not been able to collect anything.
He said that the approach of the Ministry of Defense and the National Armed Forces (NAF) to Latvian beekeepers and the possibility to place hives around the perimeter of the Ādaži landfill for several years to come are to be welcomed. It is a place where there is a good harvest of honey, because donate a lot of heather.
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