The meeting was attended by speakers from all over the world, organized by the seven commissions covering everything from the social to the scientific aspects of these insects that are so important for fruit production.
A delegation of 50 beekeepers from our country participated, for four days, in the most important world event in its field: Apimondia 2022, which took place in Istanbul, Turkey. The event featured exhibitors from all over the world, including the doctor from the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission (CCHEN), Enrique Mejías, who presented his work to eradicate the American Foulbrood disease with gamma irradiation. In addition, high-tech machinery, equipment and tools from different countries were exhibited.
The beekeeper from the Metropolitan region, treasurer of the National Beekeeping Network and member of RedAmonte, Gustavo Espinoza, positively evaluated the visit to the Middle Eastern country, where the event to be held next year in Chile was also promoted and the latest trends in the beekeeping world were shared. “There are many things that happen simultaneously, of course as Chileans, Dr. Mejías's was the most important, but there were many more. We went as a delegation to receive the responsibility of organizing Apimondia 2023,” points out. “In addition, the visit of the Chilean ambassador to Turkey, Rodrigo Arcos, and the Undersecretary of Agriculture, José Guajardo Reyes, was a tremendous support,” he added.
At the event, our country had one of the largest and most visited pavilions during the development of the meeting, where the delegation was able to discuss their knowledge about the sector and also invite the global beekeeping community to attend Apimondia Chile 2023.
On this occasion, the delegation was headed by the Federación Red Apícola Nacional FG, a trade union that currently brings together multiple regional beekeeping organizations in our country, who were accompanied by the Ministry of Agriculture, ProChile, businessmen and beekeepers. The event was attended by thousands of people from 118 countries around the world.
Space for the exchange of experiences and innovation
"This was a tremendous opportunity for Chile, to learn and also to make known what we are doing."We are joining the international beekeeping community. Beekeeping is more than just honey, it has many aspects and potentials. On this occasion, our country has invited the world to come and learn about our beekeeping, the biodiversity of its nature and the warmth of its people.", commented the Undersecretary of Agriculture, José Guajardo Reyes, who accompanied the delegation and gave the speech that closed the Chilean intervention at the closing ceremony of Apimondia 2022.
For her part, Paulina Valderrama, acting General Director of ProChile, valued Chilean participation in Apimondia Turkey as a space for exchanging information, exhibiting the national beekeeping offer and generating new commercial links. “We are very pleased to have provided support to make our presence in Turkey stand out and we achieved this, through a country pavilion at ApiExpo and the holding of the Chile Night, in which delegates and the main counterparts of the beekeeping world were invited to participate in Apimondia Chile 2023. In addition, the Chilean delegation present was strengthened through a mission of businessmen and beekeepers from the regions of Coquimbo, Maule and the Metropolitan Region.", said.
“We believe that Apimondia Chile 2023 will be a great opportunity not only for visitors to enjoy our country and its culture, but also to learn about our beekeeping activity, showing the world that we are a reliable and internationally prestigious supplier.”, he added.
Bernarda Salazar, a beekeeper from the Ñuble Region, president of the Bulnes Beekeeping Committee and director of the National Beekeeping Federation, led this delegation, highlighting how hive by-products, such as royal jelly and propolis, are used with the latest technology and increasingly more professionally.
«There are always things that we can improve and learn. Now we are clear about the good and the bad in order to organize a congress as well as possible next year, that is why I want to invite Chilean beekeepers to attend in 2023, but also the general public, so that we can all join in and unite, since we will not always have the opportunity to organize an event like this in Chile. It is a privilege and we must leave the name of our country in a very good position,» said Bernarda.
Ana María Aravena, a beekeeper from San Vicente, added that “I was proud to have been part of this national delegation that worked so hard to attend Turkey. This event is very positive for beekeepers, so I urge all our national beekeepers, and our authorities, to be part of the event in Chile in 2023.”, he said
It is important to note that the organizations and companies that supported this project on this occasion were the Ministry of Agriculture, ProChile, Indap, the Foundation for Agrarian Innovation (FIA), the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), Sernatur, the Embassy of Chile in Turkey, IICA Chile, the Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA) and the companies Agroapicultura, Honeygroup Chile, Apícola 360, Apícola Los Cristales, Apiquality, Apicoop, Mieles del Sur and the Federación Red Apícola Nacional FG.
World Congress in Chile 2023
Our country will host for the first time the 48th World Beekeeping Congress Apimondia 2023, an event that will take place at the Espacio Riesco Convention Center in Santiago, from September 4 to 8, 2023, an event where thousands of attendees from all over the world are expected.
“We invite everyone to participate in Apimondia 2023. We would especially like to invite the entire American community, since an event of this magnitude is not always held on our continent, but we also invite the global beekeeping community to come to Chile. Here they will be able to learn about the experience of national beekeeping, which is the product of our particular historical journey. They will also be able to enjoy the diverse landscapes of our land, which we hope to be able to make known through the approach of social tourism, where those who attend will be able to learn what it is like to be Chilean and experience its rurality.” said the president of the National Beekeeping Network Federation FG, Misael Cuevas, who also leads the Local Organizing Committee of Apimondia 2023.
