TIZIMÍN.— The announcement by the State government about the expansion of the Miel Bienestar program and the consolidation of Chocholá as a strategic collection center ignited concerns among the Tizimín beekeeping union, which considers that the strategy, although media attractive, “does not fundamentally address the productive reality of the east and south of the state.”
Given this state plan, Gamaliel Canto Dzul, president of the Local Livestock Association Specialized in Beekeeping and Meliponiculture (Agleam), regretted that decisions regarding the sector are being made from the desk and without diagnosis, which results in investments of little impact for the thousands of producers who depend on the activity.
Furthermore, he questioned that the announced state goal of 100 tons of honey, equivalent to just over four containers, is presumed to be a structural solution when Yucatán’s annual production far exceeds that figure and the areas that concentrate the greatest beekeeping activity are not being prioritized.
“Do you think that 100 tons will drain all the honey from the state? Putting the investment in municipalities with low beekeeping impact, but with greater media value, is negligence; in times of austerity, not using resources efficiently is also written with an ‘A’ for negligence,” he said.
The leader specified that the limited and selective purchase evoked old tricks of the PRI, such as when corn with weevils was distributed to manipulate consciences, by leaving out hundreds of beekeepers from Tizimín, Tekax and Valladolid, who represent the largest core of state production.
Another of Canto Dzul’s points was the regulatory and budgetary treatment that beekeeping receives as it is historically incorporated into the laws and structures of livestock farming, which prevents the real needs of the sector from being addressed.
Dignification
“Beekeeping needs to be dignified and for that it must be recognized, it cannot continue to be hidden under cattle farming, it is a different productive activity, with enormous social impact and practiced from the most remote communities to urban areas.”
“But as long as it is sequestered in that concept, there will be no budget or specific policies,” he said.
The leader recalled that, although there is a beekeeping law, it is outdated and does not have an assigned constitutional budget, as the new livestock law does.
Beekeeping, he added, is probably the most democratic primary activity in the state, as it is practiced by thousands of families from all strata. For this reason, a profound reform of beekeeping legislation is urgently needed, so that it is recognized independently and allocated sufficient resources.
“There are more beekeepers than ranchers in Yucatán; if the slogan is ‘the poor first’, then attention must be paid to the production that is more socially widespread, which is why beekeeping deserves its own law, its own budget and its own visibility,” he said.— WENDY UCÁN CHAN