In 2023, there were 9.4 million beehives on EU farms. This is a partial picture of all the beehives in the EU, because farm structure statistics only record beehives on farms. Compared with 2020, the number of beehives increased by 1.3 million (+16%), from 8.1 million.
Italy had almost 1.9 million beehives on farms in 2023, the highest number among EU countries, followed by Romania (1.7 million), Greece (1.2 million) and Bulgaria (1.0 million).
Source dataset: ef_fsi_lsk
Among countries with available data, the number of beehives increased in 12 EU countries compared with 2020, most notably in Italy (+822 490 beehives; +79%). Conversely, there were declines in 10 countries, with the largest decreases in Hungary (-152 110; -34%) and Spain (-131 440; -14%).
Bees pollinate a wide range of crops that are grown in warmer and colder climates. They are able to survive colder temperatures by overwintering in their hives, using up honey reserves.
This news item marks World Bee Day, aimed at raising awareness of the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy. In 2023, the European Commission presented ‘A New Deal for Pollinators‘ to tackle the alarming decline in wild pollinating insects in Europe, revising the 2018 EU Pollinators Initiative, and replying to the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Save bees and farmers!’.
The renewed initiative set out actions to be taken by the EU and EU countries to reverse the decline of pollinators by 2030. It complemented the Nature Restoration Regulation and is a key part of the Biodiversity Strategy 2030.
O artigo foi publicado originalmente em Eurostat.
