Beekeepers Can Increase Profitability by Expanding Product Range

Beekeeping is impossible without effective processing of products, which significantly increases their added value. Such an expansion of the range of beekeeping products creates real opportunities for increasing the profitability of apiaries.

This is reported by AgroReview

This was stated by the head of the public organization “Guild of Beekeepers of Ukraine,” Vasyl Barabash, during the International Scientific and Practical Conference dedicated to the 250th anniversary of heritage and innovations in beekeeping.

Diversity of Products — The Key to Success

To enhance profitability, beekeepers should consider producing various types of products based on honey. In particular, this can include cream honey, which is obtained through the technical processing of honey. In this process, honey is mixed to a creamy state, and to improve its taste qualities, sublimates — powdered masses from fruits and berries — are added, providing the honey with various aromas such as raspberry, strawberry, or cocoa.

However, it should be noted that the shelf life of cream honey does not exceed six months due to the possibility of crystallization. Therefore, it is usually packaged in small containers with a volume of 50-100 g.

New Products for the Summer Season

In addition to edible products, members of the NGO also produce various ointments, creams, and tinctures. Vasyl Barabash noted that to increase the profitability of apiaries, attention should be paid to a popular summer product — honey-based kvass, to which mint or lemon can be added. Sales of such beverages demonstrate significant volumes. To produce 50 liters of kvass, only 3 liters of honey are needed, and the honey used is predominantly buckwheat. The cost of 3 liters of honey is approximately 900-1000 hryvnias, making the output of kvass two to three times more profitable in terms of added value.

“Also, to raise the profitability of the apiary, one can highlight a product that is particularly popular in the summer period — honey-based kvass,” noted Vasyl Barabash.