Cres Ian Lorenzo
BACNOTAN, La Union — The National Apiculture Research, Training and Development Institute (NARTDI) and the local government of Bacnotan are boosting the apiculture industry in the province, with the aim of meeting the growing domestic demand for bee-based products.
Established under Republic Act 9151 on Aug. 10, 2001 and based at the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University in Bacnotan, NARTDI serves as the national center for apiculture research, training, and technology extension.
Through the Municipal Agriculturist’s Office, NARTDI conducted a training from Oct. 6 to 8, 2026 on sustainable beekeeping and honeybee enterprise development for bee keepers in the province, including women and youth.
Rural women, men, and youth in Bacnotan, La Union, join the hands-on training on sustainable beekeeping led by the National Apiculture Research, Training and Development Institute, and the Bacnotan local government through the Municipal Agriculturist’s Office, on Oct. 6 to 8, 2026. DMMMSU PHOTO
The program was designed to address both production and market gaps that have long defined apiculture in La Union.
The province formally adopted honey as its banner agricultural product in 2005 under the One Town, One Product (OTOP) program, while Bacnotan lists honey as its own OTOP.
Despite that institutional support, studies of the local industry show a backyard character.
Most beekeepers in La Union keep Apis mellifera, the European honeybee recommended by NARTDI for commercial production, and operate through small landholdings using personal savings or small grants as capital.
Many have been in the beekeeping industry for one year up to 10 years, according to research, and rely on colony migration to sustain honey flows.
A recurring observation by NARTDI is that while the number of trained individuals has grown, honey supply remains low and unable to meet increasing consumer demand.
Production is affected by climate change, shifting flowering patterns of bee forage plants, the cost of imported hive materials, and the need for pest and disease management.
The Bacnotan training sought to address those bottlenecks. The curriculum covered bee biology, hive tools and equipment, colony inspection, bee pasture development, and pest and disease control.
Other sessions focused on proper honey harvesting, post-harvest handling, product development, and business planning to help participants create marketable products rather than selling raw honey alone.
At a demonstration apiary, participants conducted hands-on hive inspection, colony management, and disease prevention exercises, applying classroom lessons to active colonies.
For the organizers, the partnership illustrates a model for industry growth: combine NARTDI’s technical expertise with local government extension to create enterprises that support both livelihood and biodiversity.
Beekeeping provides pollination services for crops, requires limited land, and can be integrated into existing farm systems, making it accessible for women and youth.
NARTDI and the Bacnotan local government plan to continue the collaboration to expand training, develop more value-added hive products, and strengthen market linkages — steps seen as critical if La Union is to move from having many trained beekeepers to having a stable, higher-volume honey industry that matches its reputation as the country’s apiculture center.
