On the profitability of beekeeping in conditions of Kamchatka Territory

The purpose of this study is to analyze the current level of beekeeping and its economic efficiency in the zone of northern Russia, where previously, despite attempts to use honey bees, the industry failed to gain a foothold. In the post-Soviet period, socio-economic conditions favoring the emergence of small private apiaries have developed, and locally produced honey, which is in quite high demand, has appeared on the markets. The need of such regions in local beekeeping is substantiated in the article. The necessity is caused by the progressive problem of honey adulteration on a global scale. Observations carried out by the authors served as a source for the basic data. Analytical, comparative and systematic approaches were used during the research. Based on the analysis of the work of a medium-sized amateur apiary (30 bee colonies), located in the Kamchatka Territory and operating as a private subsidiary farm, the profitability level of honey (540 kg per year) and wax (30 kg per year) production was calculated. The indicator size was 22.5 %. Only actual costs were taken into account, the size of which in 2024 reached 728.9 thousand rubles. Deductions for labor costs amounted to 64.4 %. The cost of production facilities and overhead costs were also taken into account. The selling price of honey was 1600 rubles/kg. Such farms can operate quite stably and gradually develop, but for the owners they will remain only a source of additional income. Establishment of larger beekeeping enterprises with industrial scale is complicated by difficulties in increasing the productivity of beekeepers due to the need to implement an individual approach in servicing each bee colony in such harsh conditions at the current level of knowledge and technology. The success of selling larger volumes of products at a cost-effective price also remains unknown. The material can be used to make decisions on state support in the organization or re-equipment of farm beekeeping enterprises.