On Tuesday, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food Sovereignty, Narvay Quintero announced that assistance is on the way for the beekeepers in Tenerife who were impacted by the blaze nine months ago. They will receive support to replace the damaged infrastructure and to procure bee feed at reduced costs.
Responding to a query from Nationalist group deputy Francisco Linares, the councillor highlighted the challenges faced by beekeeping in Tenerife, including drought and lack of flowering, which will likely result in decreased hive production.
Given the absence of blossoms, a concern arises regarding the placement of new hives, as mentioned by the councillor.
Narvay Quintero shared that he endorsed the aid call made on Monday to alleviate the aftermath of last year’s forest fire, ensuring that the complete expenses for beekeeping infrastructure will be covered.
In addition, the government of the Canary Islands has requested assistance from the EU under the Specific Supply Regime to enable beekeepers to purchase bee feed at reduced prices, with a positive response received.
Explaining the strategy for relocating the new hives, the councillor noted that clustering them in a single area would pose disease risks. Therefore, the approach is to upscale the food support and gradually introduce new hives, depending on the recovery of biodiversity.
Nationalist group (CC) deputy Francisco Linares highlighted that the fire resulted in the destruction of 1,500 hives and impacted 4,000 individuals. The challenges are further compounded by the prevailing drought and scarcity of flora, making urgent assistance for beekeepers a necessity.
