The fears of Quebec beekeepers have been confirmed. To help them withstand the shock of a mortality three times higher than the average, they are asking for emergency aid from the federal and provincial governments.
Members of the Beekeepers and Beekeepers of Quebec (AADQ) recorded, on average, a mortality of 60% in their hives, the association revealed at a press conference on Wednesday.
Over the past five years, this rate has hovered around 21% in the province.
The long summer in 2021 has created the right conditions for the spread of Varroa, a parasite that attacks bees. AADQ President Raphaël Vacher described the situation as “historic” and “critical”.
Under these conditions, Mr. Vacher is calling for joint federal and provincial emergency aid of $12 million to help beekeepers, most of whom have lost more than half of their bees.
“Imagine the disastrous consequences on its liquidity. The business loses its income, but it has the same expenses. If there is no government intervention, we definitely risk losing these businesses. »
Government support would allow companies to restock their hives in order to hope for a “more normal” season in 2023, he pleads.
It was not possible to get an immediate reaction from the federal and provincial ministers of agriculture.
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