AZE.US
Azerbaijan is seeing mass bee losses, with beekeepers in the country’s north warning that entire colonies are being wiped out and that the problem is spreading beyond isolated farms.
In Khachmaz and nearby districts, beekeepers say they have suffered heavy damage over the winter. One beekeeper said 30 out of 37 bee colonies on his farm died, leaving him with losses estimated at 7,000 to 8,000 manats.
Beekeepers link the die-off to a combination of serious diseases and parasites, saying they have struggled to contain the outbreak. Among the threats mentioned are Nosema, Varroa mites, Tropilaelaps mites and several dangerous bee viruses.
They also say the country lacks both effective medicines and proper laboratory capacity to diagnose and fight the diseases. According to local beekeepers, treatments available on the market are too weak and do not adequately stop the spread of infection.
The issue has become even more sensitive after claims that infected bees may have been brought into Azerbaijan from abroad. Beekeepers say imported bees could have helped spread disease among local colonies, especially if they were sold without clear veterinary documentation or health certificates.
Beekeepers warn that this is no longer a narrow problem affecting only a few farms. In their view, it is turning into a broader threat to Azerbaijan’s beekeeping sector, with the risk of even larger losses if the situation is not brought under control.