opinion

Bees are closely related to our life.

The benefits derived from them are not confined to honey which they make and which is good for human health.

At present, one third of agricultural products on earth are produced through pollination by such insects as bees. It is said that bees bring global agricultural producers 500 billion euros of economic profits.

But bees which are so useful for human existence are gradually dwindling. 

The main cause of the decrease in their number is human activities. The breeding and other activities of bees are seriously affected by such factors as different kinds of insecticides and agrochemicals, which are widely used in the agricultural sector, exhaust gases released from engines of motor vehicles, electromagnetic waves emitted by electronic products like mobile phones, the destruction of ecological environment caused by indiscriminate deforestation and abnormal climate conditions arising from global warming.

Einstein, one of the greatest scientists in the 20th century, predicted that if bees were extinct on earth, it would cease to exist within four years. 

Actually, fatal consequences have ensued since 2006 when the number of bees began to decrease by over one third. Scientists fear that if insects including bees disappear at such a fast rate as at present, the price of agricultural products will further rise and the food crisis will persist, causing another calamity to humankind.

Therefore, the United Nations set May 20 as World Bee Day in 2017 and has ensured the importance of bees and bee-farming is widely publicized on that occasion. 

Our country develops apiculture on a large scale while positively protecting and multiplying bees.

The bee institute of the Academy of Agricultural Science has resolved sci-tech issues arising in breeding good varieties of queen bees with a high egg-laying rate and preventing diseases of bees and raising and tending them, thereby contributing to the stable and sustainable development of agriculture. 

Jagang Province and other mountainous regions develop bee-farming on an extensive scale in conformity with their physiographical conditions with rich honey resources. Various kinds of honeys are produced in our country, including indigenous bee honey, pine pollen honey, raspberry honey, natural wild honey, linden honey and chestnut honey.

Many beekeepers produce a large amount of honey and apian products every year by introducing modern science and technology into beekeeping and processing apian products, while positively drawing on the good experience and practice of beekeeping of ancestors.

Such honey products are supplied to baby homes, orphanages, war veterans, honoured disabled soldiers and new mothers.

Last year, the national apian products show and beekeeping technique workshop-2024 was held with an eye to sharing and exchanging success and experience achieved in raising and tending bees and boosting the quality and productivity of apian products a level higher.

To develop bee-farming is an important work to protect and increase bees and preserve ecological environment.