Drought and fires kill bees and cause honey production to plummet in Roraima

The prolonged drought and the spread of forest fires have caused losses for rural producers in Roraima. The combination of high temperatures and lack of rain affects plant flowering. Without flowers, bees are left without nectar and pollen, which compromises the survival of insects and reduces honey production.

Beekeeper José Pinheiro maintains a farm in the rural area of ​​Boa Vista and reports that part of the swarms fled to other regions to survive.

With fewer bees, he had to remove collection boxes, which further reduced yield. His production fell by 80%. "In my apiaries, I have already produced up to five tons of honey. Today, I am only producing one ton", he laments.

A large part of the bee keeping in Roraima is in the fields. The dry vegetation typical of the region facilitates the spread of fire, which threatens to burn the hives and kill the insects. “When this field catches fire, there’s no way we can put it out. The flame is very strong,” says José.

In the same region, beekeeper Anderson Freitas lost more than 20 boxes of bees after a fire destroyed a 200-hectare property. The fire started after a car's exhaust touched dry vegetation.

The flames consumed the hives, the vehicle and a transport trailer. "It's a very bad feeling, seeing everything end and not being able to do anything. I had to walk away and preserve my life, because I couldn't put out that fire", he recalls.

The drought also punishes farmers, who cannot get water to maintain their crops. In the rural area of ​​the capital, the damage affects tomato, corn and cabbage fields.

Farmer Carlos Pereira invested around R$12,000 in tomato cultivation, but lost a large part of the harvest. He fears the situation will get worse. "If the summer continues for another five or six months, I'll stop. Without water, there's no way to produce," he says.

Due to the worsening of the drought, the Government of Roraima declared an emergency in September. The state created an office to coordinate the fight against forest fires and try to reduce the impacts of the lack of rain.

The executive director of the State Civil Defense, Colonel Cidinei Lima da Silva, states that the forecast of a stronger El Niño phenomenon between November and December increases the alert.

"The municipalities of Iracema, Cantá and Normandia have already declared an emergency situation. We are supporting them with reinforcement of materials, such as combat kits, tools and muffler bombs", he says.

The current scenario is more critical in the north-central region of Roraima, mainly in the cultivated areas. The state recorded around 360 hot spots in October. The number approaches the historic high for the month, when satellites captured more than 400 outbreaks in 2023.

As a preventive measure, government teams advise rural producers about the dangers of using fire to clear land during this period.