Examining Effective Factors on Honey Production Yield at Arasbaran Apiaries (Case Study: East Dizmar District)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Tabriz University

2 Tabriz University/ Agriculture Faculty, Iran

3 Animal sciences, agriculture faculty, Tabriz university, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Honey bees play a significant role in the balance of nature, especially through the pollination process. Pollination is important for the viability of many pastoral enterprises, market gardens and orchards. As at June 2010 the estimated value of pollination to Victorian agricultural and horticultural crops was estimated to exceed $400 million. Horticultural and seed industries are partially or completely dependent on effective pollination by honey bees.The bee keeping industry is one of the important sections of agriculture in Iran. It is a manufacturing activity that is possible throughout the year. Thousands of households are passing the life with this manner. OBJECTIVES: The main aim of the present study is an examination of effective factors on honey production yield at Arasbaran apiaries in the east Dizmar district of Khoda afarin County of the east Azerbaijan province. METHIDS: Type of research is descriptive - correlation and statistical population was all (643) the bee keepers in 4 villages of the east Dizmar district of Khoda afarin County. In order to examining the reliability of the questionnaire a pre - test was conducted. The value of Cronbach's alpha coefficient for different parts of the questionnaire was between 0/77 – 0/85. Sample size of the bee keepers was determined by random systematic method with Cochrane formula. Finally, 243 bee keepers was selected. The data was analyzed by using SPSS22 and LISREL8.72 soft wares. It is worth noting that yield of honey production is dependent variable and was calculated based on the amount and quantity of products (bee wax, honey and bee glue) which produced by Bee keepers from each hive in kilograms. RESULTS: According to research findings, bee keepers are in middle age range. This range of age can be considered positive point of the combination of young force and experience. The minimum education level of one third of bee keepers is bachelor. So, it is possible to perform literacy - based educations and, on the other hand, this capacity can be used to teach other bee keepers with low literacy. In terms of being bee keepers innovator, statistics show that they do not use the modified queen and rely on queen's natural duplicating method. It would be a reason to being intangible beekeepers need for training and feasibility to use the modified queen under consideration of governmental organisation and also, using the method of controlled process of the queen duplication. Improvement and modernization of hives is not favorable.This fact affects on the rate of each hive production and market qualification of honey products. There are positive and significant correlation in 5% level between dependent variable (honey products yield) and some factors such as; the individual, professional, psychological and technical characteristics. Based on the rate of factor loading, psychological factor (1.27) and variables such as: seeking out weather news, being helpful of extension and education classes, the interest to continue beekeeping job, social desirability of beekeeping and the distance of the apiaries had the most effect on variance changes of honey yield. CONCLUSIONS: Livelihoods of bee keepers was not evaluated appropriately, so in order to helping bee keepers to continue the production of honey, providing sustainable livelihoods, alternatives and supplements are suggested. The whole state of the colonies are not suitable. It is necessary to take place an urgent act by agricultural extension office of the east Azerbaijan province for promoting technologies consistent with regional conditions. Developing usage of the modified queen and the industrial method of duplicating queen feels strongly to be planned in the research district. Labor - save technologies be introduced for declining duration of referring bee keepers to hives. Variables such as desirability of social status of bee keeping and interest in continuing bee keeping job had significant affect on honey production so, the distinctive suggestion is that custodians of affairs do the necessary measures like promotion to introduce more bee keeping job to the community. It is important to predict creating required conditions to buy modern hives due to granting a subsidy facilities. By reducing the production cost of bee keepers ' performance rises, therefore the obvious suggestion in order to reduce costs is setting up bee keepers ' formations. One of the variables influencing honey yield is replacing of honeycombs. Specified suggestion for this case is predicting training headlines, applying appropriate supervision and implementing of extensional programs. Also, Generalizing and expanding education with the aim of transferring elderly and highly qualified person's experiences to young people, on the one hand, and increasing the possibility of applying new technologies, on the other hand, will have a double effect on bee keepers honey yield. The effect of following the meteorology news on the honey yield is above. This fact illustrates the role of proper knowledge of bee keepers of meteorological variables on honey production. So, it is important that east Azerbaijan agriculture jihad organization preparing daily messages for bee keepers in the form of SMS or by mass media. Preparing reports about prediction of meteorological status in the form of weekly, monthly, seasonal and six mouths is emphasized.

Keywords


Amulen DR, 2017. Towards an Increasing Honey Production in Northern Uganda: A Multiperspective 
Approach. Doctoral Dissertation. Ghent University.
Contrera FAL, Imperatriz-Fonseca V L and Nieh J C, 2004. Temporal and Climatological Influences on 
Flight Activity in the Stingless Bee Trigona Hyalinata (Apidae, Meliponini). Rev. Tecnologia Ambiente.
Criciuma. 10(2): 35-43.
Dalio JS, 2015. Status and Problems of Beekeeping in Mansa District of Punjab. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy 
and Biological Sciences (IOSR-JPBS). 10(2): 08-12.
East Azarbayjan Province Agricultural Jahad Organization, 2016. Annual Performance Report of the Deputy 
of Animal Affairs. Tabriz: Publications of East Azerbaijan Agricultural Jahad Organization. Iran.
East Azarbayjan Provincial Government, 2016. Statistics and Information of Khoda Afarin County. 
www.ostan-as.gov.ir .
Farshineh adl M, Mirzaei H and Rezaei H, 2011. The Role of Ambient Heat Fluctuations on Honeybee 
Losses. The 1st National Honey and Community Health Festival. Karaj: Animal Science Research 
Institute of Iran.
Homan HA, 2014. Structural Equations Modeling Using LISREL Software 6th Edition. Tehran: SAMMAT 
Publications. 
Mansouri A, and Dosti M, 2011. Investigating Beekeeping Barriers and Bottlenecks and Providing Solutions 
for its Development in Zanjan province. The National Conference on Capital Management and 
Agricultural Talents in the Gleam of Industry and Trade. pp.82-92. 
Ministry of Agriculture Jahad, 2020. Detailed Results of Apiaries Census of Iran in 2019. Tehran: Ministry 
of Agriculture Jahad, Deputy of Planning and Economic, ICT Center.
Najjare firozjaei A and Yeganegi S K, 2019. Factors Affecting Honey Production. Case Study: Savadkooh 
County. The 4th International Congress on Agricultural Development, Natural Resources, Environment 
and Tourism of Iran. pp.1-12.
Serda B, Zewudu T, Mogas D and Aman M, 2015. Beekeeping Practices, Production Potential and 
Challenges of Beekeeping among Beekeepers in Haramaya District, Eastern Ethiopia. Journal of 
Veterinary Science & Technology. 6(5): 1-5.
Seyedi D, Zahedmanesh M and Hasanzadeh ghort tappeh A, 2016. Apiary Construction Management. 
Tehran: Agricultural Education Publications. 
Vaziri tabar Sh, Paseban F and Aghamir karimi A, 2013. Investigation and Analysis of Beekeeping Industry 
Problems and Bottlenecks in Alborz Province. The 7th Research Seminar of Honeybee. Karaj: Animal 
Science Research Institute of Iran. 
Victorian Government, 2011. Apiary Code of Practice. Departement of Planning and Community 
Development. Melbourne. 1-13