Distribution of breeding queen bees to beekeepers in Muğla

Within the scope of the ‘Sustainability of Selection and Breeding of Muğla Bee’ Project initiated by the Muğla Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry with the support of the Livestock General Directorate, a total of 100 breeding queen bees were delivered to 20 beekeepers, each receiving 5 queen bees. Resistant lines against diseases were established. Muğla Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Barış Saylak explained that they have been implementing various breeding projects for the local bee race in Muğla with the support of Muğla Beekeepers Association and the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies since 2011, emphasizing their meticulous work on the breeding of the local bee race in Muğla. Saylak stated, ‘In order to ensure the sustainability of apiculture activities in our province and country, it is of great importance to obtain regionally suitable, highly productive, disease-resistant queen bees and to ensure the use of these bees by regional producers. In this context, the projects of the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies, ‘Development of Resistance to American Foulbrood Disease in Muğla Honey Bees’ and ‘Development and Cultivation of Breeding Colonies Resistant to Varroa Mites in Muğla Honey Bees,’ have been successfully implemented, and as of the current point; lines resistant to American Foulbrood Disease and Varroa Mites have been established.’ Saylak added that within the scope of both projects, a total of 400 improved breeding queen bees were distributed between 2018-2021 to 80 producers; 160 artificial insemination breeding queen bees and 240 natural insemination breeding queen bees. Barış Saylak also mentioned that within the ‘Apitherapy Beekeeping Products R&D Innovation and Processing Center Project,’ in which the Provincial Directorate is a project participant, 61 young beekeepers were provided with queen bee production training in 2022-2023, and producers were certified. A new era in Muğla apiculture with a total budget of 530,000 TL. It was noted that within the scope of the ‘Sustainability of Selection and Breeding of Muğla Bee’ Project, prepared with the support of the Livestock General Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with a total budget of 530,000 TL, 80 of the 100 breeding queen bees distributed to beekeepers were obtained through natural insemination, and 20 were obtained without artificial insemination. The aim of the project is to achieve significant progress in the breeding studies of Muğla bee and to ensure the sustainability of the breeding center. In this framework, important goals such as diversifying production in apiculture activities in our province, promoting the use of high-quality and healthy breeding queen bees, and meeting the certified production of the region’s breeding queen bee needs will be gradually implemented. The distribution ceremony held at the Muğla Beekeepers Association (MAYBİR) Breeding Center in Fethiye İncirköy was attended by AK Party Muğla Deputy Yakup Otgöz, HAYGEM Director Salih Çelik, Muğla Deputy Governor İsmail Soykan, Muğla Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Barış Saylak, TAB President Ziya Şahin, MAYBİR President Veli Türk, and beekeepers.