This presentation was presented by Mr. Elmer R. Esplana, a Filipino economist and an interdisciplinary researcher, currently working as a government agriculturist at the Marketing Development Division of the Bureau of Animal Industry during the 8th National Beekeeping Convention cum Symposium of the Beekeepers Association of the Philippines, Inc. held at the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, North La Union Campus, Bacnotan, La Union with the theme "Livelihood Opportunities and Environmental Conservation Through Beekeeping"

1. Development in the Supply Chain of
the Philippine Honey Industry: An
Assessment
By Elmer R. Esplana
National Secretariat Coordinator, National Task Force on Price and
Volume Watch, Marketing Development Division,
Bureau of Animal Industry
and President, Club of Professional Researchers for Development
Presented at the
8th National Beekeeping Convention Cum Symposium of the
Beekeepers Association of the Philippines, Inc.,
at the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, North La Union
Campus, Bacnotan, La Union
with the theme “Livelihood Opportunities and Environmental Conservation
Through Beekeeping”
December 8, 2009

2. Objectives of the Presentation
• The main objective of the study is to document and
assess the developments in the Philippine honey
industry supply chain.
• Specifically, the study aims to: 1) provide a baseline
information on the developments in the Philippine
honey industry from input supply, production,
processing, marketing and consumption; 2) identify the
best practices along the supply chain approach; 3)
develop a competitiveness analysis of honey with major
producing countries; 4) suggest solutions for the
inefficiencies, gaps and problems encountered by the
industry along the supply chain; and 5) recommend
strategic directions for the Philippine honey industry.

3. Figure 1. Conceptual Framework for the Honey Industry Supply
Chain and Development Assessment

4. Results of the Study
• Supply Chain -the core business process in any
organization that creates and delivers a
product or service, from concept through
development and manufacturing or
conversion, and into a market for
consumption. It is called as the “seed to shelf”
or “breed to plate” or “farm to spoon”
approach.

5. Mission of Supply Chain
• The mission of supply chain, as a management
approach, is the ability of individual
agribusiness firm/establishment or an industry
“to enhance the customer’s experience
through excellence in delivering the right
products, services, resources and information
seamlessly to the right place at the right
time.”

6. Industry Focus of Supply Chain Management
• The industry focus of supply chain
management includes activities such as 1)
integrated behavior, 2) mutual sharing of
information, 3) mutual sharing of risk and
rewards, 4) cooperation, 5) same goal and
same focus on serving customers, 6)
integration of processes, 7) partnership in
building and maintaining long-term
relationships among each industry
stakeholder.

7. Figure 2. Honey Industry Supply Chain
Framework
Input Supply Production Processing Marketing Consumption
Source: Esplana, Abao, Vasquez, 2007

8. Honey Industry in the Philippines
• Input Supply - The suppliers of the honey
industry are those industries, which provide
raw material inputs and processing
technology. Raw material inputs include
queen bees, sugar, honeybee health products
and production technology. Processing
technology includes honey processing
equipment, packaging materials and other
utilities.

9. Queen Bee Breeders
• There are four native and one exotic
honeybee species that exists in the Philippines
which serve as sources of honey and other by-
products (NARTDI, Medium Term Development
Plan 2002-2006).
• There are few beekeepers who are also selling
queen bees.

10. Sources of Queen Bees
• The sources of queen bees are the National
Apiculture Research, Training and Development
Institute, Ilog Maria Honey Bee Farm, Cebu
Honeybeekeepers Association Inc. and other
associations, some state colleges and universities;
and some breeder of bees such as Romy
Kibungan of Baguio City, Romy Fenol of Alfonso,
Cavite, Toby’s Farm of Baguio City, Deonofre
Ugot and Reynaldo Mostrales, Bacnotan, La
Union, and Albert Marsha of Metro Manila

11. Table 1. Selected Privately-owned Honeybee Farms
that sell Queen Bees
Name of Company/Farm Estimated Number of Colonies Location
Romy Fenol 135 Alfonso, Cavite
Albert Marsha 65 Metro Manila
Toby’s Farm 130 Baguio City
Ben Borbe 120 Bay, Laguna
Cebu Beekeepers 180 Cebu
Ador Pecasa 75 Davao Del Norte
Deonofre Ugot 50 Bacnotan, La Union
Reynaldo Mostrales 45 - do -
Daniels Honeybee Farm 36 Pangasinan
Romy Kimbungan 100 Baguio City
Janen Paradero 45 Cagayan de Oro
Source: NARTDI

12. Queen Bee Importation
• According to NARTDI, they received imported
honeybee in 2005 at 30 queen bees and six
queen bees in 2006 which came from
Canada/Australia, as part of their staffmember
training package. Statistics from the NSO
showed that in 2007, there are 16 kilos of
bees which was imported from Hawaii and
United States.

13. Total queen bees sold by NARTDI from
2004 to 2008
• From 2004 to 2008, the number of queen bee only sold
by NARTDI totaled 255 pieces or an average increase
of 38 percent per year. Total queen bee sold from 2004
to the current year was 277 pieces. On the other hand,
the number of honeybee colonies that they sold
totaled 30 from 2006 to 2009. The number of colonies
sold from 2006 to 2008 increased by an average of 192
percent per year.
• Production of queen bees, in a national scale, is not
enough to cope with the demand.

14. Sugar as substitute feeds of honeybee
• Sugar, although not a natural food for honeybee is
sometimes used as feeds for the honeybee for them
not to starve during rainy season, when they cannot go
out to forage. The ratio is 50 percent sugar with 50
percent water which is put in a transparent plastic,
then place above the frames. This means that for a
one kilo sugar, it can be diluted to one kilo water.
• One sack of white sugar cost PhP1,630 or PhP33/kilo
based on the data provided by NARTDI.

15. Hives Model
• Different countries have adopted different
hive models depending on the available local
materials and needs of the beekeepers. A
strong colony should have at least 6-8 frames
with bees when food resources are limited,
but may easily expand to 10 frames and above
when there is abundant supply of nectar and
pollen - NARTDI.

16. Labor Cost
• In terms of labor, the beekeepers themselves
serves as the entrepreneur and caretaker of
their honeybee farm either in backyard or
commercial operation. Majority of the
beekeepers have at least 3 to 20 colonies
which are considered as backyard beekeepers
operators. For those beekeepers with
assistant, for two to three hours part-time
work per week, or an equivalent of 2-3 days
per month was paid P200 per person.

17. Medicine (Drugs and Biologics) used
in Honeybee Culture
• According NARTDI, some of the drugs and
biologics which they used to control pest in
honeybee culture include Apistan, Fluvalinate,
Formic acid and powdered sugar to kill varroa
mites. Varroa mite is the most common pest
in the Philippines. In terms of medicine, a
beekeeper spend P270 per colony per cycle.

18. Livestock and Poultry Traders as Suppliers
• In the Philippines, with the development of the
livestock and poultry industry input suppliers,
some honeybee industry players partially gets
their equipment and supplies from the existing
traders/suppliers that are supplying also the
livestock industry stakeholders such as Bound
Fresh Foods, San Miguel Foods Corporation or
Universal Robina Corporation, including
veterinary drugs companies which have main
clients that are livestock and poultry agribusiness
players.

19. Few Queen Bee Breeders are adapting
AI Technology
• Although when it comes to artificial
insemination (AI) technology for bees, only
few queen bee breeders are adopting this
technology in their individual honeybee farm.
One example is the facility used by the
National Apiculture Research, Training and
Development Institute, although it is primarily
used as a learning and training tool.

20. PRODUCTION
• There are five species of honeybee which
could be found in the Philippines. Four are
indigenous bees, Apis cerana, Apis dorsata,
Trigona, Apis andreniformis while the other
one is the foreign honeybee which is Apis
mellifera introduced to the country by the
Americans during 1913. Apis andreniformis
could only be found in Palawan island.

21. Estimated Colonies in 2008
• The National Apiculture Research, Training
and Development Institute estimated that
there are around 7,500 to 8,500 colonies in
the country, as of 2008. Around 10 percent of
total colonies are used for brood support.
There are approximately 600 to 700 active
beekeepers in the country. The average
colony holding per beekeeper is thirteen (13)
colonies per beekeeper.

22. BAPI estimated honey production
in 2006 with total value (honey and stock inventory)
of around P90 million
• In 2006, the Beekeepers Association of the
Philippines, Inc., one of the biggest
beekeepers associations in the Philippines
estimated that total honey harvest was
134,501 kilograms. Total value of honey was
estimated at P33.6 million, in 2006. In terms
of value of stock inventory, it was estimated
at P57.2 million. There are around 238 jobs
generated full-time jobs in 2006 and an
estimated of 719 part-time laborers.

23. Honeybee was affected by Global Warming and
Colony Collapse Disorder in 2007 to 2008
• During 2007-2008, honey production was adversely
affected by the global warming. It was during this time that
the honey production declined due to scarcity in pollen and
nectar in different areas, where honeybee is produced.
• According to Apiary inspectors of America, a national group
that tracks beekeeping said, that some beekeepers have
lost 26 percent of their colonies between September 2006
and March 2007 which could possible due to colony
collapse disorder. The three most likely candidates for the
unknown cause of disappearance of bees which
contributed for the collapse of the different colonies in
about two days were: a virus, a fungus or a pesticide.

24. NARTDI and UPLB Leading in the Development of
Beekeeping in the Philippines
• Currently, there are around 320 colonies in NARTDI.
The National Apiculture Research, Training and
Development Institute (NARTDI) of Don Mariano
Marcos Memorial State University and UPLB Bee
Program are two leading education institutions that are
involved in the development of beekeeping in the
Philippines.
• Some other state colleges and universities and private
university that are already involved in beekeeping
include: Cavite State University, Benguet State
University, Camarines Sur State Agricultural College,
Mariano Marcos State University, Philippine Normal
University and Saint Louis University.

25. Beekeepers Organized Producers/Associations
• There are at least 34 beekeepers
producers/associations that exist in the Philippines,
excluding those associations which are not yet
indentified.
• The most notable associations include BEENET,
Beekeepers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (BAPI),
Filbee, PhilBee, Beekeeping Congress of the
Philippines, Inc., Cebu Honeybeekepers’ Association
Inc. to name some. The listing of beekeepers
associations/organized producers in the Philippines is
shown in Table 2. There are other organized producers
which are not yet identified here, but could probably
be incorporated with the proposed industry study by
the author in collaboration with NARTDI.

26. Table 2. Name of Major Associations/Organized Producers of
Honeybee in the Philippines, 2009
Name of Major Associations/Organized Producers
1. Beekeepers Network Philippines Foundation, Inc. 18. Cordillera Beekeepers Overseas Workers Assn. Inc.
2. Cebu Honeybeekeepers Association Inc. (CHAI) 19. Irisan Beekeepers Assn. Inc.
3. PhilBee 20. Kennon Road Beekeepers Assn. Inc.
4. FILBEE 21. La Union Beekeepers Assn. Inc.
5. Beekeepers Association of the Philippines 22. Maco Beekeepers Assn. Inc.
6. La Union Beekeepers Assn. Inc. 23. Palawan Beekeepers Assn. Inc.
7. Guinobatan Beekeepers Cooperative 24. Tadiangan Beekeepers and Livelihood Association, Inc.
8. Guimaras Beekeepers’ Cooperative 25. United Beekeepers Assn. Inc.
9. Malabanan Multi-purpose Cooperative 26. Balanban Beekeepers Cooperative
10. Panabo Beekeepers Cooperative 27. Moalboal Beekeepers Association
11. Philippine Apicultural Foundation 28. San Franciscom Beekeepers Association
12. Tropical Honeybeekeepers Association 29. TREL Cawayan Beekeepers
13. Davao Del Sur Beekeepers Multi-purpose Cooperative 30. Negros Oriental: PNOC Beekeepers
14. Kiotoy Multipurpose Cooperative 31. Southern Leyte Beekeepers Association
15. Bicolandia Beeraisers Association 32. SLU EISSEF Association or Global Apiarists Inc.
16. Borbon Beekeepers Assn. Inc. 33. Santo Nino Lipa City Beekeepers Association, Inc.
17. Cordillera Beekeepers Assn. Inc. 34. Honey beeProducers Cooperative
Source: Beekeepers Industry Roadmap, NARTDI, Internet research

27. Some Successful Business Model
Honeybee Players
• Some of the major private sector big players in
the honeybee culture and production of honey
and bee products with successful business model
include the Ilog Maria Honeybee Farms with 800
colonies and Bohol Bee Farm Resort and
Restaurant with 80 colonies. Ilog Maria is an
integrated honeybee farm with website facility
for ordering their products. It was located in
Silang, Cavite. Ilog Maria is considered as the
most integrated operator of honeybee culture in
the country. It is owned by Mr. Joel Magsaysay.

28. Some Successful Business Model
Honeybee Players
• Bohol Bee Farm is a diversified honeybee
farm, resort and restaurant. It is an integrated
agri-tourism spot in the Dauis, Panglao Island,
Bohol. It is owned by Victoria Wallace. There
are a lot of tourists that are visiting the said
bee farm for experiential honeybee farming
learning activities.

29. PROCESSING
• There are few processors of honey and bee
products in the country with best practices.
Some of them include: Ilog Maria, in Cavite,
Bohol Bee Farm, in Bohol, MarinduqueLand
Corp in Marinduque and Bountry Fresh Food
Integrated Farm, in Bukidnon.

30. Ilog Maria Honeybee Farm
• Ilog Maria Honeybee Farm is an integrated bee farm operator with a
website shopping cart as their main mode of purchasing their product.
Being an integrated operator in the honeybee industry, they are the most
number of processed products and by-product produced from honey and
bee products. Some of their products include: honey, natural bee pollen
pellets, raw propolis, fresh Royal Jelly, scented beewax candles, beewax,
propolis soap and shampoos, honey cedar vinegar, bee venom, to name a
few. Based on their website there are two means of payment for Ilog
Maria products such as: 1) the usual way, by making a deposit to their
account and faxing the deposit slip to them; and 2) a newer way by GCash
and Smart money. As part of their value-added services, they host field
trips or conduct tours within the bee farm for a minimum of 50 people.
Tour in Ilog Maria is designed for walking through along the fresh cool air
and walk around their garden. They have established their own museum
which they call “Museo sa Ilog Maria.” There are other value-added
services that they are doing that include bee seminar, contract pollination
services and bee project consultancy.

31. Bohol Bee Farm
• Bohol Bee Farm which is an organic bee farm
with hotel resort and restaurant. They have
17 products from honey and honeybee by-
products that are currently offering to their
clients. Some of these products include: pure
honey, honey spread, bee pollen, honeyed
salabat, bee propolis, honeyed muffins. Bohol
Bee Farm is promoting organic farming.

32. MarinduqueLand Corp
• MarinduqueLand Corp is a virgin coconut oil and
apiculture products processor. The processing
plant is located in Barangay, Pangi, Gasan,
Marinduque. Currently, they are promoting the
honey from Apis Cerana bee products. According
to Mr. Archie Armada, their Marketing Director,
they are just sourcing their honey from
beekeepers or farmer folks. They have no
honeybee farm yet. Some of their products
include: Apis Cerana Honey, lip balm, coco rub,
zunshade, massage gel. This company is an
advocate of natural and organic farming.

33. Bounty Fresh Foods, Inc.
• Another company with best practice in the processing
sector of the honeybee industry is the integrated farm of
Bounty Fresh Foods Inc. in Malaybalay, Bukidnon. Poultry
integrated farm is the main business of Bounty Fresh Foods,
but within this farm is their honeybee farm with 54
hectares organic coffee and five hectares dragon fruit farm.
They are producing honey for their own company’s
consumption. Bounty Fresh Food sells Spicy Honey Chicken,
as one of their value-added chicken ready-to-cook products
to all SM Supermarkets and other supermarkets where they
are selling this chicken. Aside from their own consumption,
they have created their own honey brand based on their
existing brand name “Bounty Fresh Honey.”

34. Learnings from the best practices of
some key players
• There should be a business model
• There should be an advocacy e.g. natural or
organic farming, wellness and client-friendly
• The importance of value-added products and
services
• Integrated operation and diversification from the
core business
• Effective supply chain management
• Application of agribusiness management
approach in operation.

35. MARKETING
Honey Products
• In the Philippines, honey product is slightly cheaper or
more or less the same in the domestic market than the
imported products. Pure La Union Honey, particularly
the network of beekeepers under the La Union
Beekeepers Association, Inc. and NARDTI-DMMMSU
honey product is sold at a wholesale price of PhP200
to PhP220/kg.
• The retail price was ranging from PhP110 to PhP120 for
330 grams and PhP285, for 800 grams.

36. Honey Sold in SM Supermarkets
• One popular locally-produced honey which is
sold in all SM Supermarkets is the Cem’s
Honey Products. Cem’s Raw Wild Honey (in
sachet) is sold at PhP74.00 for 240 grams; and
Cem’s Honey with Calamansi for 320 grams,
by PhP58.50; Cem’s Honey Orange at 350 ml,
by PhP71.80 and Cem’s raw Wild Honey for
350 ml at PhP71.50.

37. Imported Honey sold in SM Supermarkets
• On the other hand, imported honey with the
brand name Orange Blossom from the United
States, which could be found in all SM
Supermarkets is at PhP176.50 for 340 grams; for
227 grams, PhP132.50 while for 680 grams,
PhP321.50.
• Another imported brand honey is SueBee Aunt
Sues Honey also from United States. For 907
grams of Aunt Sue’s imported honey, it is sold at
PhP384.50 while for Aunt Sue’s Raw Wild Natural
Honey, for 454 grams is sold at PhP222.50.
Finally, another imported is Little Bee Honey
which is sold at PhP106.50 for 340 grams.

38. La Union Beewax
• In La Union, Beewax is sold at PhP400/kilo while
propolis at P5,000 per kilo. The demand of honey is
high during the months of December and January. For
an eight kilos of honey produces 1 kilo of beewax.
• For the honey production of La Union, some of their
clients include private individuals, government offices,
or even honey processing companies. They actually
cannot cope with the demand with the unstable
volume and irregularity of supply of honey for some
processing plant clients.

39. Philippines is Net Importer of Honey
• The Philippines is a net importer of honey bee products. An
average of 225 tons of honey, from 1994 to 2008 is
imported every year aside from other bee products such as
royal jelly, pollen, propolis, queen bees, to name a few. The
country could produce only 150 tons from cultured hives of
Apis Mellifera, Apis Cerana and Trigona Spp. Apis Dorsata is
hunted for its honey by rural folks.
• Around 60 to 70 percent of local honey consumption are
imported mostly from Australia, the biggest importer of
natural honey to the country.

40. Philippines is exporting beekeepers
• The country is exporting beekeepers to
Australia, Canada and New Zealand. There are
at least 500 registered beekeepers at
beekeeping associations in the Philippines.
High-level beekeeping expertise can be found
in the country for those contemplating to
establish commercial beekeeping, although
they tend to become overseas workers.

41. World supply of pure honey
• The world supply of pure honey (honey not contaminated
with substances harmful to human health) is declining.
• China, a major supplier of honey bee products is banned to
export to USA and other European countries because its
bee products are contaminated with banned antibiotics.
• This would be an opportunity for the Philippines to fill the
void cause by this ban. The Philippines is in the position to
sell organic bee products to the world market, if we will
only take this opportunity as our competitive advantage.

42. Figure 3. Marketing Channel of Honey and Bee Products
Foreign
Retail Shop
Supplier
Manufacturer / Local
Repacker Consumer
(Domestic
Market)
Importer Supermarket
Trader/Distributor
Specialty Store
Local Exporter
Producer
Foreign Buyer
Source: Esplana, 2009

43. CONSUMPTION
Local Demand
• There are around 150 tons of locally produced honey which is
consumed per year.
• There are an average of 416.98 tons imported natural honey from
1994 to 2008 (Table 3). Average CIF price during the same period
was recorded at $US1.99. From 1994 to 2000, the average growth
per year in terms of quantity was 39 percent while in terms of CIF
value 26 percent. From 2001 to 2008, the average growth of
quantity slowed down to 7.66 percent per year. But in terms of
value, it increased by 22 percent per year. As of 2008, total CIF
value of imported natural honey was posted at $US1.07 million or
P51.36 million.
• Estimated total demand per year is 370 to 535 tons per year for the
natural honey while 63 tons for artificial honey.
• So total value of natural local and imported honey in 2008 was P82
million.

44. Table 3. Importation of Natural Honey from 1994 to
2008 (In Kilogram; and $US)
Year Quantity CIF Value ($US) $US/Kilo
1994 17,061 52,121 3.05
1995 262,211 360,468 1.37
1996 171,646 324,155 1.89
1997 318,558 590,855 1.85
1998 227,360 387,705 1.71
1999 361,827 589,036 1.63
2000 271,692 305,760 1.13
2001 152,591 167,509 1.10
2002 245,681 303,188 1.23
2003 191,146 287,275 1.50
2004 84,953 330,294 3.89
2005 140,864 282,866 2.01
2006 415,778 863,664 2.08
2007 131,652 340,078 2.58
2008 385,060 1,069,782 2.78
Average 225,205 416,984 1.99
GR(1994-2000) 39.04 25.99
GR(2001-2008) 7.66 22.00
Source of Basic Data: NSO

45. Imported Artificial Honey
• Average quantity of artificial honey from 1994 to 2006
was recorded at 63 tons while in terms of CIF value
$US63,355 (Table 4). In terms of importation of
artificial honey from 1994 to 2000, it decreased by
60.41 percent per year while in terms of CIF value, it
decreased by 52 percent. On the other hand, from
2001 to 2006, quantity of importation of artificial
honey increased by 15 percent per year while its CIF
value increased by only 4 percent. The average price
per kilo of imported artificial honey was recorded at
$US1.28 per kilo. As of 2006, the quantity of imported
artificial honey was posted at 104 tons while in terms
of CIF value was $US67,796.

46. Table 4. Importation of Artificial Honey (Wtr/Not Mixed W/
Natural Honey) from 1994 to 2006 (In Kilogram; and $US)
Year Quantity CIF Value ($US) $US/Kilo
1994 204,937 310,078 1.51
1995 101,103 107,884 1.07
1996 70,925 53,869 0.76
1997 95,133 67,948 0.71
1998 58,724 79,016 1.35
1999 1,272 2,179 1.71
2000 708 3,583 5.06
2001 51,143 44,103 0.86
2002 21,854 21,398 0.98
2003 16,322 13,819 0.85
2004 68,178 40,303 0.59
2005 21,674 11,645 0.54
2006 104,267 67,796 0.65
Average 62,788 63,355 1.28
GR(1994-2000) -60.41 -52.43
GR(2001-2006) 15.25 4.07
Source of Basic Data: NSO

47. Imported Natural honey in 2008
• There are 385 tons of imported natural honey
in 2008 valued at $US1 million. Of the total CIF
value, the top five biggest country suppliers of
imported natural honey in 2008 include:
Australia, which contributed 89 percent;
Thailand, 4 percent; Argentina 3 percent;
United States, 2 percent and France, less one
percent. Other countries, aside from the top
five contributed only by one percent (Table 5).

48. Table 5. Five biggest country suppliers of natural honey in the
Philippines in 2008
Total Total Percent 2008
Country
Quantity CIF Value share Per kilo
Australia 336,880 953,630 89.14 2.83
Thailand 23,882 39,415 3.68 1.65
Argentina 10,175 33,491 3.13 3.29
United States 6,856 25,578 2.39 3.73
France 1,846 6,852 0.64 3.71
Total Top Five 379,639 1,058,966 98.99 2.79
Other countries 5,421 10,816 1.01 2.00
Total All countries 385,060 1,069,782 100.00 2.78
Source of Basic Data: NSO

49. Major Importers of Honey
• Based on the Bee Industry Roadmap, some of
the major importers of honey include:
Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, PHILUSA
Corporation Apollo Chemicals, Rustans, Fly
Ace Corp, Nestle Philippines, XTC Inc. Carica
Health Products and Golden Star Marketing
Inc.

50. Table 6. Regional and Provincial Centers, LGU
Collaboration and 2009 Proposed Zonal Centers
Regional Centers Region
Camarines Sur Agricultural College Region 5
Southern Luzon State University Region 4
Cagayan State University Region 2
Provincial Centers Province
Isabela State University Isabela
Mountain Province Polytechnic State College Mountain Province
Saint Louis University Baguio
Pangasinan State University Pangasinan
Benguet State University Benguet
LGU Collaboration LGUs
La Union
Cagayan
Isabela
Ilocus Sur
Lanao del Norte
Aurora
2009 Proposed Zonal Centers to be Established Zonal Centers
Southeastern Philippines State University Mindanao
Central Visayas State University Visayas
Source: NARTDI

51. Table 7. Trainings/Seminars Conducted with Fee and Free
from 2001 to 2009
Training/Seminar Conducted 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total
Training/Seminar with Fee
5-day Beekeeping Training 3 1 3 2 6 8 3 2 28
On-the Job Training on Hive Management 3 5 7 8 2 25
Total of Training/Seminar with Fee 3 1 3 2 9 13 10 10 2 53
Free Training/Seminar
Specialized Queen Rearing Training 1 1 1 3
5-Day Beekeeping Training 3 2 5
Trainors Training on Beekeeping 1 1 2
2-Day Basic Beekeeping Refresher Course 1 1 2
Total Free Training/Seminar 0 1 3 1 4 1 2 0 0 12
Grand Total Number of Training Conducted Per Year 3 2 6 3 13 14 12 10 2 65
Source: NARTDI

52. Table 8. Training Fee in NARTDI, 2001 to 2009
Cost of Training Per Module/Session 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Training/Seminar with Fee
5-day Beekeeping Training 3975 3975 3975 3975 3975 3975 3975 4500 4500
On-the Job Training on Hive Management 500 500 1000 1000 1000
Source: NARTDI

53. Table 9. Technology/Research/Procedure/Information
and their Main Use/Function developed by NARTDI
Name of
Main Use/Function Beneficiaries Date Developed
Technology/Research/Procedure/Information
1. Queen rearing (NARTDI condition) Production of queen Beekeepers 1991
2. Migratory Beekeeping Honey production Beekeepers 1991
3. Stationary beekeeping Honey production Beekeepers 1991
Control of varroa for pests and
4. Sugar dusting Beekeepers 2007
diseases
5. Hygienic testing Beekeepers 2007
6. Brood rearing Honeyflow Beekeepers 1991
Prevention and control of
7. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Beekeepers/supporters 1991
pests
8. Production development Value-adding Beekeepers 2008
9. Pollination Increase crop production 1998
Farmers and Beekeepers
Source: NARTDI

54. DA One-Stop Agribusiness Center (OSAC)
• OSAC is a virtual mini-mart; exhibit area, agribusiness
information hub, and a training-seminar room rolled
into one. At OSAC, producers and buyers can meet
conveniently and forge mutual and hopefully lasting
marketing arrangements. It has an exhibit area where
the producers can showcase their fresh and processed
products for the appreciation of prospective Filipino
and foreign buyers, and the general public, as well.
• DA marketing assistance support is not enough to give
an impact on the different agribusiness chain in the
honey industry.

55. Participation of Associations in the Development of the
Honeybee Industry
• There are many associations which are
participating in the development of the
honeybee industry, although there are also
demands for a more unified efforts to
strengthen their bargaining power and
advocacy efforts to solicit a bigger support in
terms of budgetary allocation from the
different levels of government (from national
to local or vice versa) to sustain the industry‘s
growth in the succeeding 5 to 20 years.

56. Price Competitiveness of Local Honey
with Imported Honey
• The price competitiveness indicates that
among the six countries identified, it is only
Australia and Thailand that the country is not
competitive but the other four countries such
as United States, Argentina, France and
Singapore, our country has the competitive
advantage in terms of pricing comparison.

57. TABLE 10. PRICE COMPETITIVENESS ANALYSIS
Imported Natural Honey from:
At Different Country, Zero
Australia Thailand Argentina United States France Singapore
Tariff and Different
(PhP/Kg)
Exchange Rate
(at Zero Percent Tariff )
At PhP 55 exchange rate
at PhP200 wholesale price 0.98 0.57 1.14 1.29 1.29 1.19
at PhP220 wholesale price 0.89 0.52 1.04 1.18 1.17 1.08
At PhP 50 exchange rate
at PhP200 wholesale price 0.89 0.52 1.04 1.18 1.17 1.08
at PhP220 wholesale price 0.81 0.47 0.94 1.07 1.06 0.99
At PhP 48 exchange rate
at PhP200 wholesale price 0.86 0.50 1.00 1.13 1.12 1.04
at PhP220 wholesale price 0.78 0.45 0.90 1.03 1.02 0.95
At PhP 45 exchange rate
at PhP200 wholesale price 0.80 0.47 0.93 1.06 1.05 0.98
at PhP220 wholesale price 0.73 0.43 0.85 0.96 0.96 0.89
Note: Competitiveness exists if import parity/domestic wholesale price is greater than 1.

58. How to become competitive with
Thailand?
• For the country to become competitive with
Thailand, either, the country’s wholesale price of
honey has either to reduce by at least half of the
current price of P200 to P220 per kilo. This means
an increase of the yield of honey from an average
of 20 kilo to 40 kilo per colony. If at this scenario
it could be attained by at least 50 percent level of
accomplishment, an depreciation of peso to P50-
P55 per $US will be able to help in improving the
price competitiveness of local honey with
Thailand.

59. How to become competitive with
Australia?
• In the case of Australian honey, a reduction of at
least P50 per kilo wholesale price of local honey
would help in improving the country’s price
competitiveness, plus an improvement in the
yield of honey per colony and a depreciation of
peso to P50 per $US would support in improving
the price competitiveness of the Philippines with
Australia.

60. Important things to work on to be competitive with
Thailand and Australia
• Increase in yield of honey from an average of
20 to 40 kilogram per colony
• Depreciation of peso with other foreign
exchange, particularly for $US or from P48 to
P50 above per US dollar.

61. BENCHMARKING
• Benchmarking is the search for and implementation of best practices. It
has proven to be an instrumental process in transforming unproductive
operations into efficient and profitable one.
• Comparative analysis of natural honey importation from 1994 to 2008
showed that the top five biggest sources of imported honey include
Australia which contributed 1,052 MT (31%) ; United States, by 762 MT
(23%); Mexico, 690 MT (20%); and Singapore, 173 MT (5%).
• In 2008, Australia is still the biggest supplier of natural honey but this
time it cornered 87 percent (337 MT). Thailand this time is second
biggest which contributed 6 percent; third, Argentina at 3 percent; fourth
United States, a t less than two percent and fifth China at less than one
percent (Please see Table 11).

62. Table 11. Comparative Analysis of Total Volume of Natural Honey Importation, their
Quantity, Country of Origin and Ranking from 1994 2008 and 2008
Quantity (1994- Percent Ranking Quantity Percent Ranking
Country of Origin
2008), In Kilograms Share (94-08) 2008, In Kg. Share (2008)
1. Australia 1,052,751 31.16 1 336,880 87.49 1
2. United States 762,197 22.56 2 6,856 1.78 4
3. Mexico 689,800 20.42 3 -
4. Singapore 172,649 5.11 4 1,183 0.31 7
5. Thailand 65,618 1.94 8 23,882 6.20 2
6. France 36,744 1.09 11 1,846 0.48 6
7. India 16,818 0.50 16 381 0.10 8
8. United Kingdom 40,197 1.19 9 348 0.09 9
9. Iran 48 0.00 48 0.01 11
10. China 36,377 1.08 12 3,461 0.90 5
11. Argentina 128,065 3.79 5 10,175 2.64 3
Total of 11 Countries 3,001,264 88.85
Others 376,816 11.15
Grand Total 3,378,080 100 385,060 100.00
Source of Basic Data: NSO

63. Table 12. Selected Website Links on Beekeeping
and their nature of business
Website Links on Beekeeping Nature of the Business of the Website
1. http://www.ilogmaria.com Private Beekeepers Site (e-commerce site)
2. http://www.boholbee.farm Private Beekeepers Site
3. http://heavenscure.net Processor of coconut and honey and by-products
4. http://pinoybeekeepersforum.aghfo.com Forum on beekeeping in the Philippines
5. http://pinoybeekeeping.blogspot.com/ Website in beekeeping the Filipino way
6. http://www.beefordevelopment.org Assist people and raise awareness for beekeeping
7. http://www.apiservices.com Virtual Beekeeping Gallery
8. http://www.beekeeping.com Private Beekeeping Site
Source: Internet Research

64. Supply and diseases problem affects the consistency
and sustainability of the exportation of honey
• Among the 11 countries supplier of natural honey in 2008,
only Australia, United States and Singapore are consistently
exporting honey to the Philippines on a yearly basis from
1994 to 2008 (Table 11). Other countries are either not
consistently supplying honey (e.g. Canada, Germany,
Hongkong), or just new in exporting honey to the country
(i.e. Iran). There is country like Mexico which from 1994 to
2005 are supplying honey to the Philippines but they
stopped since 2006 to 2008 due to problem in supply.
Switzerland is supplying honey from 1997 to 2007 but they
stopped also in 2008. Japan is also exporting honey from
2005 to 2007, but they also stopped in 2008 due to
diseases of honeybee and problem in the supply of honey
in Japan.

65. Conclusion
• There are some developments in the supply chain
of honey industry from input supply, to
production, to processing, to marketing and
consumption.
• The gaps in the input supply could be attributed
on how to increase the production of queen bees
given the increasing number of beekeepers, as
demonstrated by the increasing associations in
the honey industry, and those that have been
encouraged to start a small beekeeping activities.

66. Conclusion
• In terms of production, improving the bio-
diversity and reforestation program could be
continually be done by the relevant stakeholders,
to increase the production or yield per colony
and sustain the growth of the industry,
considering the increasing local demand.
Consumption is about 60-70 percent being
sourced from imported honey, while only 30 to
40 percent are produced locally. This also
supports in reducing the effect of climate change
in the honey industry, in particular, and
agriculture sector, in general.

67. Conclusion
• The best practices are demonstrated by selected successful
players such as Ilog Maria Honey Bee Farm, Bohol Bee Farm
and MarinduqueLand Corp and Bounty Fresh Foods which
developed an integrated operations, along the honeybee
agribusiness supply chain.
• Some of notable best practices and characteristics /success
factors which could be learned from them include: a) a
doable business model, b) inclusion of value-added products
and services, c) effective supply chain management and 4)
either integration or diversification from their core business,
5) application of agribusiness approach, and 6) effective and
efficient use resources in their respective company or bee
farm have contributed for their successful operation in the
honey industry.

68. Conclusion
• In terms of competitiveness, it is also
important to note the increase in the yield of
honey per colony and depreciation of peso
with $US, as two among the different ways to
help in increasing the competitiveness of local
honey with imported products from Australia
and Thailand.

69. Recommended Strategic Directions of
the Philippine Honey Industry
1. Extensive application of agribusiness
management approach and supply chain
management in the honey industry to improve
the efficiency and effectiveness of operation of
each stakeholder.
2. Improving and unifying the concerted advocacy
works of industry associations to get bigger
bargaining power to demand support from the
government, particularly the Department of
Agriculture and other departments and
agencies, including policy makers.

70. Recommended Strategic Directions of
the Philippine Honey Industry
3. Conduct trainings that would help beekeepers to
improve their supply chain management capabilities
and capability in doing competitive strategy,
including the effective utilization of beekeeping
technology.
4. Either BAI or BPI from the DA is needed to handle the
different national concerns of the honey industry in
the policy, regulatory, quarantine, bee health and
disease concerns, marketing intelligence, to name
some. A decision from the DA Secretary on who is
responsibly agency should be issued as soon as
possible to support the honey industry.

71. Recommended Strategic Directions of
the Philippine Honey Industry
5. There is a need for the improvement of transparency
among the industry stakeholders to effectively
monitor the performance of the honey industry by
the government. Participation to research and
development is encouraged from the different
associations and beekeepers themselves.
6. Additional budgetary support from DA is needed by
NARTDI and related institutions which are supporting
in the honey industry should be provided to further
strengthen or expand the services being provided to
the beekeepers and other related honey industry
stakeholders.

72. Recommended Strategic Directions of
the Philippine Honey Industry
7. Strengthen interdisciplinary collaborative agribusiness
and market research, policy and socio-economic
research, technology generation, scientific and
environmental research among the different
researchers of the honey industry to improve the
productivity and industry yearly performance in the
succeeding 5 to 20 years.
8. Develop and implement productivity-enhancement
programs/projects for the honey industry, e.g.
reforestation, intensive adoption of technology in
beekeeping, honey products processing and
marketing.

74. Acknowledgement
• Director Davinio Catbagan, BAI
• Mr. Rolando Promentilla and Ms.Manolita Gaerlan , BAI
• Mr. Rolando Vasquez and Maria Laarni Plata, BAI
• Dr. Apolonio Sito, NARTDI-DMMMSU
• Professor George Ipac, NARTDI-DMMMSU
• Professor Reynaldo Laquidan, NARTDI-DMMMSU
• Dr. Florentina Dumlao, DMMMSU
• Mr. Joseph Panas, NARTDI-DMMMSU
• Dr. Jaime Dangle, NARTDI-DMMMSU
• Mr. Matt Navalta, CESO
• All Beekeepers Development and Honey Industry Development
advocates in the country, particularly Ms. Flor Abon, Mr. Fred Ugot,
Barangay Captain Reynaldo Monstrales.

75. Maraming
Salamat!