Spanish beekeeping co-op Apícola Bierzo Sociedad Cooperativa looks set to have 30% of its production officially organically certified next month, as part of its drive to change most of its hives to organic production.
The co-op, in the Castile and León region of northwestern Spain, has been working to meet the requirements of the Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León – the organisation in charge of guaranteeing product quality in the region.
The co-op’s secretary, Javier Morán, said: “We want to promote the quality of our honey and the best guarantee right now is organic certification.
“We have completed all the necessary paperwork and delivered all the documentation that was requested. And we envisage that by the middle of September quality testing can begin.”
Apícola Bierzo Sociedad Cooperativa is now working towards organic certification for most of its beehives and has provided training to beekeepers on how to change production to organic methods.
“The methods and products used are more expensive,” said Mr Morán. “But when it comes to selling, as organic production is scarce, the products are sold at a higher price. That is one of the great advantages. Another is the high quality of the brand and exclusivity that consumers increasingly seek.”
Organic production is also a requirement of entry into the co-op, which has seen the number of organic hives multiply rapidly in the region – from just 85 before the Apícola Bierzo Sociedad Cooperativa was founded to thousands today. “Of the approximately 12,500 hives in the region, just over 4,000 already belong to this co-operative and they are all in organic production,” added Mr Morán.
The organic certification will be given to three types of honey that the co-op produces – heather honey, chestnut honey and oak honey.
