Why Bees Matter More Than You Think
Bees are crucial for food production and ecosystem balance. Despite their importance, bee populations are declining due to human activities. Mexico is a major honey exporter but domestic consumption is low.
Without bees, there is no pollination, and without it, there is no food for humans and animals. Despite the importance of these insects, the United Nations Organization warns that 40 percent of invertebrate pollinators, including butterflies, could be facing a critical moment, among other causes due to the use of pesticides, says the academic of the Cuautitlán Faculty of Higher Studies, UNAM, Tonatiuh Alejandro Cruz Sánchez.
On the occasion of National Bee Day, which is commemorated on August 17, he emphasizes that 80 percent of the products we consume to feed ourselves originate thanks to the intervention, in one way or another, of these hymenoptera: cucumber, melon, watermelon, pumpkin, avocado (the “green gold” of our country), strawberry, mango, apple, citrus, among others.
They are also regulators of ecosystems: according to the university expert, almost 90 percent, approximately 308 thousand wild floral species, depend partially on the transfer of pollen.
The bee must be given a predominance as a species because of its contribution to obtaining food and because it increases the reproduction rate of floral species; “this means that biodiversity increases.”
Mexico is part of the “top ten” of honey-exporting countries, occupying seventh or eighth place; among its main buyers is Germany, where seven or eight out of every 10 kilos sold are of Mexican origin; its per capita consumption is two kilos per year.
In contrast, in our nation “the statistics are not very pleasant because the equivalent of a few tablespoons per year is consumed on average,” around 200 grams.
According to Cruz Sánchez, head of the Propolis Analysis Service Laboratory, it is necessary to promote the conservation of bees and to make it known that caring for them also means consuming all the products of the hive, including royal jelly and wax.
Multiple benefits
The consumption of honey provides health benefits, as it contains vitamins B complex, C, D, and E, as well as antioxidants, and it also provides energy. Beekeepers also consume propolis, royal jelly, and apitoxin, and it is noted that their health is more stable than that of the population that does not do so, and their ailments are fewer. They rarely have respiratory or arthritis problems. However, in Mexico, consumption is low due to the lack of dissemination of the multiple advantages obtained.
In the economic field, it is estimated that there are 80 million to 90 million beehives in the world, which produced (2021-2022) in round numbers, two million tons of honey; Mexico produces approximately 60 thousand tons. Of these, more than half are exported, which generate 128 million dollars.
In Mexico, beekeeping is a source of income and jobs, directly or indirectly, mainly in rural areas. We have 45 thousand beekeepers; 30 percent of the production is concentrated in Yucatan, Campeche, and Quintana Roo, with approximately 17 thousand workers; there are even certified apiaries, says Tonatiuh Cruz.
In addition, the hives are used as a source of pollination, according to the request of the producers of vegetable foods. The main entities that take advantage of this activity are Sinaloa, Chihuahua, and Coahuila; approximately 140 thousand hives are used for this purpose.
Now, organic honey is also now produced, an important characteristic due to its acceptance among consumers, as it is free of insecticides or pesticides. Education and awareness need to be promoted to reduce the use of these chemical substances and provide the best conditions for bees, according to the source.
The recommendation, he adds, is to also acquire propolis (especially given the increase in cases of contagion of respiratory diseases, such as COVID); royal jelly, a rich source of protein; pollen (with essential amino acids); and apitoxin to treat problems such as arthritis, rheumatism, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis.
Another important product is beeswax, which in addition to being used in the manufacture of candles, has medical applications, such as when added to ointments. The uses of beehive products have been grouped under the name of apitherapy, as Cruz Sánchez emphasizes.
It should be remembered that the Senate declared August 17, 2017 as the “National Bee Day”, so that with the support of the Congress of the Union, society, organizations, institutions, and government, their environmental, social, and economic importance is recognized and valued, in addition to taking actions to conserve populations and ensure the permanence of their services and products.
