The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry stated that improving the health status of the Azores is fundamental to guarantee a healthy, profitable, innovative and competitive development of the beekeeping sector, announcing several concrete actions.
 
"In the context of improving the Region's health status, we will create two contingency plans: one for Varroa mites and the other to prevent other pests and diseases from entering the Region," said João Ponte, who spoke Tuesday at the presentation of the proposal for a Strategic Plan for beekeeping in the Azores to take place on Faial Island.
 
The government official stressed that this Plan includes a proposal for the implementation of a pilot project to eradicate the Varroa disease on smaller islands, such as Flores, through the extermination and repopulation of the bee population, and the establishment of sterilisation system of waxes used in the Region.
 
"One of the biggest challenges we face on Faial but also on Pico and Flores concern the control of Varroa mites and prevent the disease from passing to other islands, which are currently disease free," said João Ponte.
 
This Plan, prepared by a working group for a 10-year horizon, proposes a total of 40 concrete actions.
 
The Regional Secretary pointed out that Faial accounts for 10% of the overall number of registered beekeepers in the Azores, but it is the island that shows greater dynamics in the production of organic honey.
 
For João Ponte, organic honey is an opportunity for a better appreciation and recognition of local production.