Arthur Helmbacher, edited by Sophia Khatsenkova 2:31 p.m., September 02, 2021

Prepare to maybe pay more for your honeypot than usual in the coming months.

Because of the weather this summer, the production numbers are abysmal.

Already confronted with the phenomenon of the scarcity of bees, in particular because of insecticides, beekeepers are blaming themselves.

Europe 1 met some of them in Alsace.

REPORTING

It's a dark year ahead for beekeepers in France.

This summer, the weather was not good.

Between cold and humidity, this is unheard of in more than seven years, according to Météo-France.

This had consequences, in particular on the production of honey.

Depending on the sector, losses would exceed 80 to 90% in the Grand-Est.

Europe 1 went to Ribeauvillé, in the Haut-Rhin. 

"As a beekeeper, I have never seen this"

This year, Arthur Frieh, president of the Federation of Beekeepers of Haut-Rhin, painfully filled two 25 kg buckets of honey.

In general, with 40 beehives, production is around 2 tonnes.

“I've been in honey for over 40 years and never experienced this. I have beehives that I opened three weeks ago and I didn't have an egg in them. So the queen was there. , but she no longer laid eggs, "he explains at the microphone of Europe 1.

More expensive honey in the coming weeks?

According to Arthur Frieh, the weather is the main cause of this black summer.

"The weather weighed down on us and still weighs on us. The cold meant that the bee no longer came out. The weather also weighed on us at the spring level, since all the pretty florets: cherry blossoms, fruit trees, acacias and the chestnut trees froze. The bees had nothing left to forage, "says the beekeeper.

>> READ ALSO:

 Disappearance of bees: what if artificial wintering was the solution?

This lack of production will not be without consequences, according to Arthur Frieh. "We must expect that honey will become more expensive. It may not be excluded that tomorrow, an acacia honey that you find at 6.5 to 7 euros, you will find it at 10 euros as soon as here." In this context, the beekeepers of the Grand Est are organizing collectively to set up applications for agricultural disasters with the Ministry of Agriculture.