Structural Characteristics of Beekeeping Enterprises and Beekeeping Activities in Çanakkale Province

In this study, socio economic structure of beekeeping enterprises in Çanakkale province was revealed and beekeeping activities were evaluated. The data were obtained from total of 87 beekeeping enterprises. The average age, education period, experience period in beekeeping activities, family size and family labor of the producers were found as 54.71, 9.28 years, 19.37 years, 3 persons and 2.21, respectively. The number of the places which the producers visited for migratory beekeeping, average number of the frames, age of the queen, average honey amount per colony and honeycomb changing frequency were found as 2.83, 10.62, 2.23, 12.65 kg and 2.68 years, respectively. When the honey products production was examined, it was determined that 1895.14 kg honey, 64.07 kg pollen, 0.10 kg royal jelly, 2.14 kg propolis and 46.03 kg beeswax were produced according to the average of the enterprises. The first five problems which the producers encountered in beekeeping activities were determined to be respectively as marketing of the crops, struggle with the illnesses, accommodation place, shipping and organizing. According to the factor analysis results, the first factor which included the external factors such as environment pollution, technical equipment level, robbery, climate and natural conditions was named as “External Factors”, the second factor which included the variables such as getting credit, variation in honey prices and input costs was named as “Financial Factors” and the third factor which included the variables such as illness and wintering losses, struggle deficiency and nutrition deficiency was named as “Inefficient Application”. According to the cluster analysis results, it was determined that “Inefficient Application” factor was emphasized in the first cluster and “External Factors” and “Financial Factors” were emphasized in the second cluster.