Although Zacatecas remains a state with significant honey production at the national level, local beekeepers face a complex situation marked by high production costs, low market prices, and a lack of federal support, unlike states such as Yucatán and Campeche, which do receive support through programs like Food for Well-being.
Currently, the state is estimated to have between 40,000 and 42,000 beehives distributed among approximately 1,100 beekeepers, who achieve two main harvests per year: one of multifloral honey and another of mesquite honey. The main honey-producing municipalities are Guadalupe, Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Río Grande, and Miguel Auza.
In Zacatecas, the production cost per kilogram of honey ranges between 25 and 30 pesos, while the selling price is between 40 and 48 pesos, leaving an average profit of only 10 to 18 pesos per kilogram.
Beekeeper Maximiliano Vidales López explained that one of the main problems is the increase in input costs and the drop in market prices. “Input costs keep rising; I’ve been observing this for about seven years now. Input costs have almost doubled. Stainless steel, sugar, and everything else have nearly doubled, and the price of honey keeps getting lower. There were years when we were paid 35 pesos for it. It’s a problem that’s strangling us.”
Added to this is the lack of institutional support. While there are federal programs in the southeast of the country that incentivize production, beekeepers in Zacatecas don’t have access to similar programs, despite the more adverse production conditions.
In recent years, honey production in Zacatecas has decreased between 30 and 40 percent due to factors such as the use of agrochemicals, climate change, and habitat loss.
From academia, specialists are warning about the risks facing pollinators. Juan Luis Santos de la Cruz, a research professor at the Autonomous University of Zacatecas (UAZ), pointed out that pesticide use has direct effects on bee survival. “The use of neonicotinoids has increased considerably, affecting bees’ reproduction, memory, orientation, and behavior due to neurotoxic compounds.”
Santos de la Cruz added that variations in climate change have also severely affected bees, impacting their health and productivity.
Furthermore, producers face unfair competition from the sale of adulterated honey, which further puts pressure on prices in the local market. This type of honey, combined with high-fructose corn syrup, can cause health problems by contributing to obesity and hypertension.
The outlook for beekeeping in Zacatecas reflects a productive activity with potential, but one limited by a lack of support, adverse conditions, and an increasingly complex market, which jeopardizes its long-term sustainability.
Source: meganoticias
