Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Department of Agricultural Management and Development, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Keywords
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Beekeeping has been the focus of human society since around 4500 BC due to the production of valuable products (Fels et al., 2019). In addition, beekeeping provides valuable ecological services for natural and agricultural ecosystems (Al-Ghamdi et al., 2017; El Agrebi et al., 2021). Furthermore, beekeeping can improve the livelihood of poor households by creating lateral job opportunities (Iseselo et al., 2019). Iran, with the production of 77,152 tons of honey, was the third major honey producer in the world after China and Türkiye in 2021 (FAO, 2023). According to the latest available statistics, the value of the global honey market was nearly seven billion USD in 2020, and the market value of honey produced in Iran this year was estimated at 892 million USD (FAO, 2023). Hence, Iran can be a major producer and supplier of honey in international markets. Fereydunshahr, a county in Iran, is rich in ecological diversity due to its climate and wide pastures. This matter shows the high potential of this region in terms of beekeeping. However, beekeeping in this region is still underdeveloped. The difference in performance and price of bee products between different farms in the study area and between farms in the study area and farms in other regions of the world confirms this issue. The basic step in improving the economic status of beekeeping farms is to identify its current status. Thus, this study aims to analyze the economic status of beekeeping farms in Fereydunshahr county and economic factors affecting their performance and suggest some solutions to improve their status. The results of this research can help policymakers and planners of the beekeeping sector to improve the technical and economic performance of this sector.
Materials and Methods
The present study is a nonexperimental, applied, and quantitative research that follows a post-positivist paradigm. The study area is Fereydunshahr county, located in the west of Isfahan province. The statistical population consists of the beekeepers of Fereydunshahr county (N = 210). The sample size was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan table (n = 140) and the sampling was carried out by stratified sampling method. The used data is primary data that was collected using a research-made questionnaire (interview) in the spring of 2022 and was related to the last breeding season until that time. The research utilized two types of descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive analysis involves calculating the mean, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum value. In the inferential analysis section, a multiple linear regression method was used to analyze the economic factors affecting the performance of beekeeping farms. The performance of the beekeeping farms was the dependent variable in this model, while the independent variables were identified through a literature review and the researchers' opinions. All statistical operations and analysis of collected data were carried out by SPSS v.26 and Excel 2019 software.
Results and Discussion
Assessing the costs of beekeeping farms showed that the average annual cost of providing inputs per farm was 284 million rials. This amount was 131, 101, and 43 million rials for the annual cost of manpower, the annual cost of migration, and the annual cost of renting pasture, respectively. If the required inputs (especially sugar) are not provided in the right amount and time, its negetive consequences will affect all the processes in beekeeping. Hence, adequate and timely distribution of inputs to beekeepers should be considered. According to the results, the average added value per hive among the studied beekeeping farms was 7.27 million rials with a standard deviation of 4.39. This result indicates a high level of heterogeneity in the average added value per hive in farms and the different abilities of beekeepers to earn profit. The findings demonstrated that the significant economic factors affecting the performance of beekeeping farms were average added value per hive (β= 0.342), annual total income of beekeeper (β= 0.301), suitable and modern packaging (β= 0.270), average cost per hive (β= 0.234), direct sales of products (β= -0.206), and processing raw products (β= 0.169). All of these factors could together predict the performance up to 63.2% (R Squared = 0.632). The performance of beekeeping farms is significantly impacted by the added value of each hive and the beekeeper's annual income. This highlights the importance of the beekeeper's ability to finance the resilience and prosperity of the beekeeping business. Therefore, it is crucial to pay attention to the well-being of beekeepers and strive to improve their conditions. Furthermore, The performance of beekeeping farms can be influenced by post-production processes and marketing measures. This includes the use of modern and suitable packaging, as well as the processing of raw products. Hence, the fourth activity of the value chain, which is marketing and sales, plays a crucial role in the beekeeping industry. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to this aspect of the beekeeping business in order to improve the economic status of beekeeping farms.
Conclusion
This study aimed to assess the economic status of beekeeping farms and economic factors affecting their performance in Fereydunshahr county and suggest some solutions to improve their status. Considering the high potential of Fereydunshahr county in the beekeeping industry, it can be said that the economic status of the beekeeping farms in this region is not suitable. Hence, the economic status of the farms should be improved to the optimal level due to identifying the challenges, opportunities and factors affecting the performance of beekeeping farms and optimizing them, so that the natural resources can be used better. Finally, considering that one of the major challenges affecting the economic status of beekeeping farms is the weakness of beekeepers in providing proper inputs as well as proper marketing of products, contract beekeeping should be more interested by beekeeping sector researchers as a suitable solution to overcome these challenges.
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