Beekeeping in Slovenia not only comes from the rich history, but also represents an important part of the national identity. With a tradition dating back to the 18th century, with an emphasis on care for nature and the economic importance of bee products, beekeeping in Slovenia symbolizes the connection between respect for tradition and a modern approach to preserving the natural balance.
With their constant pollination, bees maintain the balance in nature and have a key influence on food production and care for biodiversity. Pollination also has a significant impact on the economy, as it has almost twenty times greater economic importance compared to the production of bee crops or products.
Beekeeping, with its orderliness and systematicity, offers a good example for understanding certain aspects of public finance. Just as bees ensure the proper functioning of an apiary, public finances ensure the orderly financing of the state’s operations. Just as bees ensure the fertility of nature through their constant pollination, public finance contributes to creating the conditions in which the economy can thrive and flourish, contributing to the well-being of its inhabitants.
Bee products include honey, propolis and wax, which are also used or consumed by humans. Honey can be found in almost every grocery store and is also a very common food item in our pantries. Propolis is also sold in stores, but we use it especially when we have a cold, as it increases resistance and has a healing effect. Beeswax can be chewed, especially for inflammation of the oral cavity or diseased esophagus and stomach, and for cleaning the nasal part of the throat, and it is also used in cosmetics, pharmacy, medicine and candle making, among other things. If a parallel is drawn with the state budget expenditures, which are estimated at €16.3 billion in 2023, the latter are divided between 24 different policies. In addition to the servicing of past borrowings, which represents the largest share of funds, the majority goes to education and sports, followed by expenditures for social security and transport and transport infrastructure.
Bees extract nectar from flowers with the help of a long tongue that contains sugar, which is an important source of energy. They also gather pollen for protein and other nutrients. Propolis, created from tree matter, protects the hive. Honey is made from dry nectar, providing an important source of carbohydrates. Wax obtained from bee glands is used to build hive cells where honey, larvae and pollen are stored. The Republic of Slovenia receives various revenues, including income tax, corporate income tax, value added tax, real estate tax, inheritance and gift tax, real estate transaction tax, social security contributions, pension and disability contributions, health contributions, unemployment benefits, revenue from the sale of government assets, donations, concessions, customs duties and more.
When food becomes scarce, the worker bees offer trotters from the hive. Since the family does not raise new queens in autumn and winter, they are only a burden to the family during this time. The state does not send inactive residents (pensioners, disabled and students) and unemployed people out of the state, but provides them with assistance and social security. More than €1.5 billion is earmarked for social security policy, or 9.4% of all funds, of which the largest part goes to family allowances and parental allowances. Just under €1.2 billion is earmarked from the state budget for pension protection, while more than €100 million goes to benefits for the unemployed annually.
Life in a bee colony is very hectic and requires constant adaptation. This is seen in the number of bees, which depends on the amount of food available. The number of worker bees changes during the year. In winter, the bees are in the hive and depend on the reserves they save. If there are up to 60,000 of them in the summer, their number can be more than halved in the winter to around 20,000. It is very important to feed the bees, especially if it is necessary to breed a new queen, which must be fed differently than the other worker bees, namely with a special milk. Similarly, the country must constantly adapt its macroeconomic policies to market conditions. In periods of negative economic growth, the state should reduce interest rates as part of its monetary policy, thereby enabling cheaper loans, which encourages investments and the inflow of money. In this way, demand is stimulated and with it also inflation. This policy is called expansionary or stimulatory monetary policy. If the economy or prices (inflation) are growing too fast, countries should conduct a restrictive or inhibitory monetary policy. Borrowing thus becomes more expensive, and economic growth and price growth slow down.
Honey consumption exceeds domestic production and amounts to around 1 kg per inhabitant annually. It has not changed significantly in the last ten years. The level of self-sufficiency has varied between 20% and 85% since 2010, in 2020 it was 67% (compared to domestic consumption/GDP). The export of honey increased from 40 tons to 306 tons of honey in the period 2010-2020 (comparison with the export of Slo in relation to GDP). The import of honey also increased during this period, from 585 tons to 1106 tons of honey. The GDP per capita index in Slovenia in terms of purchasing power is 92% of the EU average. In 2021, the value of exports of goods and services amounted to 83.6% of GDP.
The purchase prices of all types of honey in Slovenia have increased in recent years. In 2010, the purchase price of honey (of all types) was 3.18 euros per kg, and in 2020 it was 5.39 euros per kg (comparison with price growth in general). Beekeepers achieve a much higher price by selling at markets. The price (of all types) of honey in markets has risen from 5.67 euros per kg of honey to 10.08 euros per kg (in 2020) since 2010. According to SURS data, the highest inflation rate in the last year was between July and September 2022 (between 10 and 11%).