The true benefit of beekeeping

Abstract

Traditionally, Argentine beekeeping has focused on honey production as its primary economic benefit. However, the true value of beekeeping lies directly in the ecosystem services proveced by pollination. Thus, the introduction of pollinators into crops increases their overall productivity and quality. Soybeans are a highly profitable and widely cultivated crop in argentina. Although soybeans are self-pollinating, numerous scientific studies demonstrate that pollinator intervention improves yields, even though many producers avoid it, primarily due to the insecticide treatments used in crop development. Therefore, this study estimated the economic value of beekeeping, distinguishing between honey production and pollination services, provided by apiaries registered with the National Registry of Beekeepers, in soybean fields in the department of Colón, Buenos Aires. The results show that the economic value of pollination services under a natural system was 11.2 times greater than its honey counterpart, increasing to 12.7 times greater under a directed pollination system. Furthermore, comparing the economic value contributed by beekeeping, it is currently generating 2.6 times more than it did 50 years ago.