Minister of Agriculture
Question by:
Hon Andricus van der Westhuizen
Answered by:
Hon Ivan Meyer
Question Number:
14
Question Body:
In relation to the June 2023 flooding in the province:
- What recourse is there for bee farmers who have lost hives in the flooding;
- whether beehives are eligible to be insured; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Answer Body:
- Beekeepers tried to move hives out of the historical flood line, but the water had moved rapidly over that level, and hives were still lost. Some beekeepers say that in the past 75 years, the water along the Berg River has never reached the water level experienced. Beekeepers are currently still busy recovering some of the useable hives and stands, but certain areas are still not accessible. Beekeepers have confidence that if they can only recover most of their equipment, they can prepare for the current season and try to fill the empty hives. Excellent support from the Western Cape Bee Industry members were experienced, with beekeepers who were not affected by floods donating hives and equipment to the affected beekeepers that experienced hive losses. Beekeepers also assisted each other due to the loss of colonies and insufficient pollination units available for the remaining Blueberry pollinations of the season. Other Beekeepers provided pollination units for them to ensure they can stay compliant with their pollination contracts.
- Yes, beehives can be insured against floods, however, this is a very expensive exercise, and smaller beekeepers cannot afford it. This is why the beekeepers try to move the hives out of the flood line. Most beekeepers would rather insure against fires, theft, and vandalism, which is normally a bigger challenge for them.
Date:
Friday, June 30, 2023
