Beekeeping as a business
Beekeeping for many it is only a hobby, but it can be turned into a business. If you are professionally engaged in beekeeping and keep at least 100 hives in an apiary, then earnings can reach $ 5,000 per month.
Commercial honey production
Up to 50 kilograms of honey can be collected from one bee colony per season, if the bees collect nectar from a small area. If apiary located in a meadow, in a field or in a forest, and around the apiary within a radius of 5-6 km there are no busy roads or enterprises that pollute the air, then you can start producing honey on an industrial scale. It is important to remember that after the honey is pumped out of all the hives, the families will have no resources left for the development of new larvae. Therefore, if you have a small apiary, up to 200 hives, then in the first two seasons it is necessary to make layers for new bee colonies. When there are 400-500 hives in the apiary, then the development of the apiary can be stopped and completely switched to the production of commercial honey.
New bee colonies for sale
You can also earn by breeding new bee colonies. In this case, the earnings will be 20% of the income from the sale of commercial honey. The formation of new bee colonies requires less effort and money. The sale of young bee colonies will save the beekeeper from the need to disinfect the hives. The average price of one young bee colony is $ 20, and up to 100 strong colonies can be easily realized during the flowering season. Novice beekeepers will quickly buy them up, as they can get marketable honey from 5 families in the amount of $ 150.
When selling cuttings, it is necessary to leave at least 50 hives in the apiary to feed young families, otherwise beekeeping can bring big losses if the year is not too favorable for the flowering of plants.
Sale of other beekeeping products
Selling wax and propolis will not bring much profit, but it can be an excellent additional income. One kilogram of wax costs $ 2 on average. Up to 1.5 kg of wax is collected from one family per month. During the season, about 4.5-5 kg of wax is collected from one hive. If the apiary consists of 100 hives, then the monthly salary is 300 dollars. Also beekeepers sell propolis and royal jelly. During the season, up to 600 grams of propolis are harvested from one hive. The average price of propolis on the market is $ 6 per kilogram. The income from the sale of royal jelly is not very large, since not all goods are sold.
In general, beekeeping can generate incomes of up to $ 15,000 per month if the apiary consists of 500 hives. It must be remembered that one person can serve up to 200 hives, so you need to hire assistants for the apiary.