Analyzing the Management Characteristics of Beekeeping Households According to Their Beekeeping Types

In this study, the types of domestic beekeeping households were classified into a migratory, nonmigratory, and mixed beekeeping, and the management characteristics of each type were compared in terms of management scale, honey extraction, productivity, and profitability. In order to investigate these characteristics, a questionnaire survey was developed and mailed to a sample of 807 beekeeping households over the country, then the management characteristics of 84 households responded were analyzed by their management types. As a result, the non-migratory beekeeping households were relatively small in management scale and honey production as well as their annual sales (p less than 0.05), while the migratory and mixed beekeeping households are likely to have a higher productivity and annual sales by implementing an intensive management. Beekeepers who involve in the migratory and mixed beekeepings tend to put more effort into their businesses than the non-migratory beekeepers as the results indicated that they have more experience in planting honey plants and completion of eduction programs provided for beekeeping households. However, the current migratory beekeeping need to deal with many difficulties in honey extraction, such as the recent decline and reduced flowing period of Robinia pseudoacacia, which has been the most largest honey resource in the country. A non-contracted migratory beekeeping has become another important issue for the sustainable development of Korean beekeeping industry because it creates severe social conflicts with forest owners where the migratory beekeepers extract honey conventionally without their permission. Utilizing honey plants for the joint production of beekeeping and forest products would help to improve the profitability of beekeeping households that rely mainly on honey produced from the Robinia pseudoacacia.