Taiwan: Miaoli honey output plummets due to erratic weather

Beekeepers in Miaoli County, Taiwan, are facing a devastating season with honey production plummeting to less than 20% of last year's levels. The crisis stems from a combination of unusual weather patterns that disrupted the flowering of longan trees, the primary source of the region's popular honey.

Early spring drought and high temperatures from January to March led to a low blooming rate for longan trees. This was compounded by heavy rains on April 2, which washed away many of the delicate flowers before they could be fully pollinated. The hardest-hit areas include Toufen City, Tongxiao Township, and Yuanli Township.

Xu Chensen, a beekeeper with over 40 years of experience and a holder of dual traceability certifications, described the situation as unprecedented. He noted that for the first time in his career, the female flowers bloomed before the male flowers, meaning bees could not collect nectar during the crucial initial period. The subsequent heavy rainfall further decimated the available nectar.

“

For the first time in my 40 years of beekeeping, I've seen the female flowers bloom before the male flowers, causing the bees to be unable to collect nectar at that time.

Last year, Xu's 100 beehives produced approximately 8,000 Taiwanese catties (about 4,000 kg) of honey. This year, the yield from the same number of hives is less than 1,000 catties (about 500 kg). Despite the drastic reduction in output, beekeepers have decided against raising prices to maintain market stability.

The Miaoli County Government has announced that beekeepers whose losses exceed 20% are eligible for natural disaster relief. Applications for cash assistance, amounting to 550 New Taiwan dollars per hive, are being accepted at local township offices until July 13.

“

Last year, 100 beehives could yield about 8,000 catties of honey, but this year it's less than 1,000 catties.