Technical efficiency, energy balance, and economic analysis of honey production in Bingöl, Turkey

The aim of this study was to evaluate the technical efficiency, energy balance and economic analysis of honey production in Bingöl province, Turkey. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 94 honey producers, using proportional sampling to determine the sample selection. The technical efficiency of honey production was evaluated using stochastic frontier analysis. The results showed energy efficiency scores of 0.27, 0.16 and 0.11 for the respective groups. It was observed that the proportion of direct energy inputs was lower than that of indirect energy, with fuel identified as the primary energy input. The benefit-cost ratio for beekeeping was found to be 1.35. For honey production, the gross income per unit of energy was calculated to be 14.5₺, resulting in a net income of 3.86₺. In addition, the gross income per unit of energy for the farms surveyed was 2.49₺, with a net income of 0.65₺. Despite the unfavourable energy input-output ratios, the enterprises studied were considered sustainable in terms of energy costs and gross income. The efficiency analysis yielded technical efficiency scores of 0.83, 0.86 and 0.90 for the respective groups, indicating that the third group of enterprises used inputs in honey production more effectively. To improve the overall efficiency of honey production in Bingöl province, an increase in the number of hives is recommended and adopting modern beekeeping techniques is essential to improve energy efficiency.