The work of beekeepers is greatly appreciated and given special support

At the event, István Nagy thanked the dedicated and value-creating work of the Sárvár és Vidéke Bee Society, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, with a ministerial certificate (Photo: AM/István Fekete)

The head of the ministry reminded that there are about 20 million beehives in the European Union and 711 thousand beekeepers work. For comparison: in Hungary, we keep 1.2 million bee colonies, and there are almost 13 bee colonies per square kilometer. This number is one of the highest in the world. Although it is the smallest sector of agriculture, as the economic result that is due to bees accounts for barely one percent, looking at the indirect benefit, we see that the entire agriculture, our entire food industry and our entire future depends on the activity of the bees. This is precisely why we cannot be grateful enough for the indispensable work of the players in the sector. István Nagy also touched on the fact that between 2023 and 2027, the beekeeping sector will receive support of around 42.7 million euros, including domestic funds, as part of the measures of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy.

The minister drew attention to the fact that animal welfare support can also be applied for after bees

The maintenance of healthy bee colonies and the entire sector is supported by the support instrument introduced in Hungary for the first time in the European Union, which means an amount equal to 15 euros per bee colony per year. In his speech, the head of the ministry also touched on the fact that beekeeping is a key sector in Hungarian agriculture. Recognizing this, Hungary, in a unique way in Europe, made it possible for beekeeping activities to be tax-free. In addition, Hungarian beekeepers have been receiving a so-called bee health subsidy from domestic sources for five years now, which they claim every year after 1 million bee colonies. The amount of this is HUF 1,000 per bee colony, he added.

AM