In Spain, the debate revolves around new lines of support linked to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and complaints about the exclusion of beekeeping from certain programs. aid packages for diesel and other inputs approved by the central government in response to international instability. All of this in a context of bee colony losses, lower profitability, and increased competition from imported honey.
Murcia strengthens aid to beekeeping linked to biodiversity
The Region of Murcia has decided to take a further step in its policy of supporting the beekeeping sector with a new call for subsidies specifically aimed at farms that contribute to the conservation of biodiversityThis measure is integrated into the CAP Strategic Plan and seeks to reward the environmental role of beehives in the territory.
The main new development announced by the Murcian Executive is the increase in the economic premium per surface area: the aid goes from 29 to 39 euros per hectareThis represents a 30% increase. With this rise, the regional government aims to make the maintenance of apiaries scattered throughout rural areas more viable and to support the recovery of native flora through pollination.
The Minister of Water, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Sara Rubira, has insisted that supporting the beekeeping sector is not only an economic issue, but also a commitment to the Sustainable agriculture and environmental balanceThe regional government points out that a significant portion of crops and many wild species depend on the daily work of bees.
According to the regional government, this budget reinforcement —with an allocation exceeding the 900.000 Euros— It has been designed to curb the loss of bee colonies and ensure the presence of pollinators in the agricultural and natural areas of the region. The intention is for these hectares with beehives to function as genuine biodiversity hotspots distributed throughout the Region of Murcia.
In addition to the economic increase, the regional government has introduced some administrative improvements aimed at simplify the processing of aid applications, with the aim of enabling more beekeepers to access this support program without bureaucracy being an obstacle.
Requirements to access the new subsidies in the Region of Murcia
The call for proposals in Murcia establishes minimum requirements to be eligible for these biodiversity-related grants. Those eligible to apply are... registered beekeeping farm owners in the Register of Beekeeping Operations of the autonomous community, provided they meet certain size and location parameters.
Among the established criteria, the obligation to have, at a minimum, 150 active beehivesFurthermore, the settlements must be located within the territorial scope of the Region of Murcia so that the activity carried out has a direct impact on both regional agriculture and local ecosystems.
The application procedure is structured through the Single CAP Applicationwhich consolidates a large part of the agricultural procedures into a single form. Interested beekeepers must complete this process within the established deadline, which in this call for applications extends until [date missing]. April 30, as detailed by the regional government.
The Administration emphasizes that this aid is intended for farms that maintain their activity continuously in the territory and that contribute tangibly to the pollination of crops and wild floraIt is not just about supporting honey production, but about recognizing the environmental value that bees bring to agriculture and the landscape.
The Murcia government has encouraged professionals in the sector to carefully review the conditions and submit their applications as soon as possible, noting that measures have been introduced to streamline management and reduce repetitive procedures compared to previous years.
Beekeeping as a key element of rural areas and ecosystems
Beyond the specific aid per hectare, the institutions insist that beekeeping plays a much broader role than the production of honey or pollen. The presence of bees and other managed pollinators It allows the reproduction of a large part of the natural vegetation and improves the yield of numerous agricultural crops.
In the absence of this pollination work, sectors such as fruits, vegetables and certain industrial crops Their yields could be seriously reduced. At the same time, some wild flora, including that in protected natural areas, depends heavily on regular bee visits for its regeneration.
The strategy of the Region of Murcia is framed precisely within this approach of reconciling agricultural production with the conservation of the natural environmentBeehives are considered an ally in maintaining more diverse agricultural landscapes, with mosaics of crops and areas of spontaneous vegetation that act as a refuge for numerous species.
Faced with the risks stemming from climate change, pests, and land abandonment, regional officials emphasize the critical importance of supporting beekeepers who maintain operational hives in rural areas. The continued viability of these operations is further threatened by a combination of rising costs and downward pressure on prices due to competition from honeys imported from third countries.
In this context, aid linked to biodiversity seeks to provide an additional cushion to the income from the marketing of honey, so that beekeeping becomes more attractive and generational renewal in the countryside can be guaranteed.
Industry demands: diesel subsidies and runaway costs
While in regions like Murcia aid linked to the CAP is being strengthened, a large part of the Spanish beekeeping sector is focusing on another issue: its to be excluded from diesel fuel subsidies designed to offset the impact of rising fuel prices following the escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
Several agricultural organizations point out that state measures channel the bonus of 20 cents per liter of diesel through the refund of the Special Tax on Hydrocarbons, a formula that only applies to those who use diesel B in tractors and agricultural machinery. Beekeeping, on the other hand, depends primarily on automotive diesel A to move vans and trucks that transport the beehives.
This design excludes thousands of professionals whose work is considered entirely agricultural, but who need to travel constantly to produce their crops. This situation is not new: the sector recalls that the same scheme was implemented after the start of the war in Ukraine, and that demands for correction have not yet resulted in effective regulatory changes.
Beekeeping and agricultural organizations warn that the sharp increase in fuel prices, close to 40% compared to previous stagesThis comes on top of increases in other essential inputs, such as fertilizers and agricultural plastics, pushing the profitability of beekeeping operations to the limit. In this context, beekeepers are demanding that the specific nature of their activity be recognized when accessing aid programs.
The sector is considering different options, such as expanding the range of eligible fuels or enabling a specific direct aid to beekeeping in the form of payment per beehive, in preparation for the upcoming CAP programming periods, as one of the ways to compensate for these structural additional costs.
Transhumance, additional costs and risk of farm abandonment
Much of the problem is exacerbated in the case of the transhumant beekeepingThis involves moving beehives to different areas throughout the year to follow flowering and ensure a food supply for the bees. This practice entails frequent trips in loaded vehicles, often along forest roads, and results in particularly high fuel consumption.
Available estimates suggest that a farm with a minimum of 150 hives supports a annual surcharge on diesel fuel of at least 800 eurosThis figure can rise above 3.700 euros for operations with around 700 hives. In large-scale migratory beekeeping, estimates increase this range of expenses even further.
In addition to these trips to locate the beehives, other periodic trips are necessary for tasks such as supplementary feeding, health control, pest surveillance or the monitoring of production. All of this increases fuel costs and means that the final price of domestically produced honey must be adjusted upwards to cover expenses.
Some industry professionals warn that, in the absence of specific subsidies for diesel fuel, they are forced to pass these increases on to consumers, which translates into increases in the price of a kilo of honeyAt the same time, there are fears that this situation will discourage generational change and push more beekeepers to abandon the activity.
The sector also warns that the gap is widening with the massive influx of honeys imported from third countries, often at a lower price and with different quality standards, which put downward pressure on the prices at origin of Spanish honey, already compromised by rising costs.
A strategic sector that needs to be better integrated into aid systems
Therefore, two realities intersect in the current debate on aid to beekeeping in Spain: on the one hand, the new lines of support linked to the CAP In communities like Murcia, there is a focus on biodiversity and the environmental function of beehives; on the other hand, there is a demand that beekeeping not be left behind. general aid packages for fuel and agricultural inputs.
Agricultural organizations argue that beekeeping should be considered a “strategic sector” within the agricultural system, both for its direct contribution to food production and for its role in the pollination of crops and ecosystemsFrom this perspective, they demand that specific mechanisms be enabled that take into account their particularities, especially regarding travel and diesel costs.
The challenge lies in reconciling support for production with environmental preservation, incorporating the value of the ecosystem services provided by bees, and ensuring that farms remain viable in a context of international instability and climate changeTo achieve this, the sector considers it crucial not only to strengthen regional aid, but also to adjust state measures so that beekeeping is not once again excluded from major agricultural support packages.
Taken together, the decisions made in the coming years regarding the beekeeping aidWhether through the CAP, fuel bonuses or specific programs, these measures will largely determine the future of a sector that is small in number of professionals, but fundamental to agriculture, biodiversity and the maintenance of the rural environment in Spain and the rest of Europe.
