Social and economic characterization of bee honey production in the north of the state of Campeche, Mexico

Abstract

The state of Campeche is one of the leading producers of bee honey in Mexico. In 2014 a production of seven thousand tons of honey was recorded with a value of more than two hundred twenty-five million pesos, about seventeen million dollars. The aim of this paper is to socially and economically characterize bee honey production in the north of the state of Campeche, Mexico with data about education, land tenure, organization, costs, income, and profitability. The bee honey producers are ejidatarios, older than fifty years of age, and have low levels of education: more than 75 % have not finished junior high school. Furthermore, it was found that beekeeper production costs were more than eighty-two thousand pesos, of which 78% were for variable costs, mainly costs for paying for sugar, apistan (Apistan® Anti-Varroa Strips) and labor; about 22% correspond to fixed costs, basically made up of the depreciation of fixed costs. The average income obtained was higher than one hundred seventy thousand pesos, with a benefit-cost ratio of about two. Therefore, the producers in the north of the state of Campeche are efficient and profitable in producing bee honey.