Investigation of the Current Status of Beekeeping Enterprises and Beekeeping Activities in Çorum Province

This study was conducted to determine the structural status, technical practices, and primary challenges of beekeeping enterprises in Çorum province and to propose sectoral solutions. The research material consists of primary data obtained through face-to-face surveys from 183 beekeeping enterprises operating in the center and districts of Çorum. Descriptive statistical analyses were employed to identify the socio-economic and technical factors influencing enterprise structure and productivity. The proportional sampling method was used to determine the number of enterprises to be examined, and data were collected from 183 enterprises with a 95% confidence interval. According to the findings, 93.44% of the beekeepers are male, and 60.66% are university graduates. It was determined that 81.97% of the practitioners carry out beekeeping as an additional source of income. Regarding breed preferences, 40.98% of the beekeepers prefer Carniolan and Buckfast breeds, while the preference for Caucasian bees was found to be 21.31%. While 59.02% of the enterprises provide their queen bees through their own apiaries, equipment costs (67.21%) constitute the most significant cost item. Bee diseases and pests (Varroa destructor 91.80%; Hornets 78.69%) were identified as the leading problems faced by the breeders. In conclusion, it has been determined that beekeeping in Çorum should be supported with modern techniques, input costs should be reduced, and the young population should be encouraged toward the sector for the sustainability of beekeeping activities.