Having an appropriate climate, vegetation rich in original essences and exceptional sanitary environment free of varroa (parasite responsible for the collapse of bee colonies), New Caledonia offers an ecological context particularly favorable to beekeeping. This practice, initiated in 1848 by the Marist Fathers who introduced swarms of European honeybees via Australia, has in recent years renewed its dynamism. Despite highly variable yields from year to year, more and more beekeeping enthusiasts are engaged in this craft, which is a source of additional income.
Caledonian apiary counts more than 5 000 colonies of bees kept by more than 180 beekeepers spread over the entire territory, with a higher density on the southwest coast of the Grande Terre. Caledonian honey, recognized for its quality and regularly rewarded in national competitions, is produced by the black bees, the Italian bees (introduced in 1980) and the hybrid bees issued from the intersection of these two species. Besides the local production, which almost entirely covers the Caledonian market , there are quite a variety of polyflorhoneys coming from flowers of forest, savanna , scrub , mangrove … Some beekeepers also produce pollen, wax, royal jelly , propolis or breed queens and swarms.
Released December 17, 2013
