Browsing by Author "Bontagen, Sannie C."

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    The Beekeeping industry in La Union: A case study
    (Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University - North La Union Campus, 2009-03) Bontagen, Sannie C.
    This study was conducted to determine the (1) beekeepers and beekeeping industry profile, (2) production and marketing practices, (3) degree of seriousness of problems encountered in the beekeeping industry, and (4) strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to beekeeping industry. An interview questionnaire was used to gather data from the beekeeper – respondents. Respondents were 31 beekeepers who were all members of the La Union Beekeeping Development Cooperative, Inc. (LUBDECO). The interviews with respondents were conducted in December 2008. Findings of the study revealed that the respondents were relatively young at their early 40s, mostly male, married with four children, and household member size of six persons. The respondents were highly literate with two-thirds have college degrees or graduate degrees and mostly in the field of agriculture and allied specialization. The main occupations of the respondents were in farming, employees of government and private firms, and some engaged in business. Respondents started beekeeping from 1997 to 2007 after undergoing the basic beekeeping training conducted by NARTDI. Beekeeping served as source of supplemental income and as a hobby. Most respondents started with two colonies and spent about PhP 24,000.00 as starting capital. NARTDI supplied most of the colonies to beekeepers. Honey yield per colony was very low compared to the national average honey yield per colony. The beekeeping industry has been supported very much by concerned government agencies and public officials in the Province of La Union All the recommended production and marketing practices for beekeeping has been adopted and practiced very much by beekeepers. Considered to be very much serious problem encountered by beekeepers was the bird infestation on apiaries. Other serious problems were limited financial capital and the changing climate pattern, which in turn affects performance of nectar and pollen producing plants. High level of educational attainments of beekeepers, beekeepers were organized, very much supportive government agencies and public officials, and receptiveness of beekeepers to recommended beekeeping technologies were considered as strengths of the beekeeping industry. Weaknesses were beekeepers considered beekeeping as a hobby or just source of additional income and very low honey yield. Considered opportunities were high demand for honey and beekeepers can go into queen rearing. Threats to beekeeping industry were the bird infestation on bees, and the changing climate pattern that affects the performance of nectar and pollen producing plants.