Distribution pattern and economics analysis of meliponaries in the Philippines
2018
Locsin, A.M.E. | Cuevas, A.C. | Polintan, E.A. | Cervancia, C.R.
The stingless bee, Tetragonulabiroi (Friese), is currently used in the Philippines for pollination of high-value crops like mango, avocado and some vegetables. It is also used for ecosystem restoration in disaster-hit areas. Apart from the impact of stingless bees on pollination, their products are popular and command high market value. The distribution pattern of meliponaries (stingless bee yard) in the Philippines was mapped and its economics feasibility analyzed. There are 85 meliponaries spread in Luzon( 58), Visayas (20), and Mindanao (7). Among the beekeepers, only eight are keeping more than 1,000 T. biroi colonies where our economic analysis was based. All the colonies are located in Luzon, which could be explained by the abundance of feral colonies and nesting sites. In the Visayas and Mindanao, the predominant species is T. laeviceps, a species which does not produce surplus honey. The propagation of stingless bees on the commercial scale is feasible in the Philippines as shown in the Benefit-Cost Ratio value analysis. If the present value of benefits exceeds that of the cost, the BCR is greater than one, indicating that the project is feasible. In this study, the BCR is 1.31. Being native to the country, the stingless bee has a wide genetic pool and is resistant to pest and diseases, thus, the cost of rearing is lower, compared with introduced bee species. Moreover, it can exploit diverse floral resources, making their production sustainable.
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