Working Meeting at the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea

On December 16, 2011 a working meeting was held at the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Recently, representatives of the NGO “Brotherhood of Ukrainian Beekeepers” returned from the III International Forum on Apitherapy and Quality of bee products Apimedica & Apiquality 2010 that took place from 28.09 to 02.10 in Ljubljana (Slovenia). 28.09 to 02.10 in Ljubljana (Slovenia). The First International Conference of Beekeeping Associations was held as part of the Forum. A framework protocol on recognition the honey bee as endangered species was signed at the conference. In fact, the signing of the protocol was a significant event in beekeeping — the first step to the historic act to be signed in 2013 at the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress in Kiev.

The meeting was attended by the First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Olga A. Shevchuk, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Mykola P. Polyushkin, the President of the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress, the Chairman of the Board of the NGO “Brotherhood of Ukrainian Beekeepers” Tetyana Y. Vasylkivska, Head of the NGO “Beekeepers’ Union of Crimea” Mykola D. Klochko.

Topic of the working meeting: Cooperation between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress regarding participation of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of the AR of Crimea in exhibitions, as well as promoting the holding of the Tourism Program for delegates of the Apimondia Congress 2013 from 5 to 12 October 2013 in Crimea.

On behalf of the Organizing Committee of the Congress Apimondia 2013, Tetyana Vasylkivska thanked for a letter of support sent to the Organizing Committee in July 2011.

During the meeting, the current issues of beekeepers’ life and work in Crimea and in Ukraine were discussed.

The following current problems of beekeeper’s activity were emphasized:

• veterinary maintenance of apiaries;
• involving beekeepers to work on fertilization of agricultural crops;
• improving the honey base in Crimea and in Ukraine;
• favorable conditions for migrations;
• protecting bees from chemical poisoning used during plants’ processing;
• protecting the Crimean consumer market from intervention of poor cheap honey;
• etc.

It was agreed to hold a meeting with experts regarding these issues in January 2012.

As part of preparation stage of the Congress, at the initiative of the NGOs “Beekeepers’ Union of Crimea” and “Brotherhood of Ukrainian Beekeepers” it is planned to hold the 2nd International Honey Festival “Crimean meetings” in September 2012 in Alushta. The International Scientific-practical Conference “Pollination and bee flora” will be attended by specialists from Poland, Germany, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, Russia, Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan and representatives of Apimondia Scientific Commissions from around the world. During the Festival, guests will visit interesting tourist sites of the Crimea and get acquainted with the cultural life of the peninsula. Festival organizers enlisted the support of the Ministry of Resorts and Tourism of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in promoting the tour program of the project.

As a result of the meeting, the following decisions were made:

• Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of the AR of Crimea will participate in exhibitions of the XXXXIII International Apicultural Apimondia Congress to be held from September 29 to October 4, 2013 in Kiev at the International Exhibition Centre;
• Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea will assist the Organizing Committee in promoting specialized tourist events in the Crimea during the Congress, from 5 to 12 October 2013;
• Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea will assist during preparation stage of the Congress in promoting the information policy of the Organizing Committee of the Apimondia Congress 2013 in the Crimea;
• Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea will promote the holding of the 2^nd International Honey Festival “Crimean meetings” in September 2012 in Alushta at the initiative of the NGOs “Beekeepers’ Union of Crimea” and “Brotherhood of Ukrainian Beekeepers”. The experts of the Ministry will participate in the Scientific-practical Conference “Pollination and bee flora”;
• Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea will cooperate with the NGOs “Beekeepers’ Union of Crimea” and “Brotherhood of Ukrainian Beekeepers” regarding important practical beekeeping issues.

Tetyana Vasylkivska

President of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress
Chairperson of the NGO “Brotherhood of Ukrainian Beekeepers”