This national campaign, which will start in a few days, will target some 900 thousand hives for a total cost of 30 million dirhams, said Baitas, who was responding at a press briefing after the meeting of the Council of Government, to a question on the measures planned by the Executive to assist farmers affected by the phenomenon of the disappearance of bee colonies.
At the end of this operation, which will be led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, in collaboration with the National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA), a second phase will begin with the objective of rebuilding the hives, especially those infected.
In parallel, it will be implemented a training program and supervision of beekeepers for a budget of 150 million dirhams, said the Minister Delegate, adding that this program will be implemented according to a specific schedule and in strict compliance with deadlines.
Last February, the first results of field visits by teams under the provincial veterinary services of the ONSSA, on about 23,000 hives, have found that this desertion of hives, whose extent varies from one region to another, is a new phenomenon in the Kingdom.
