Summary
The contract is ongoing since 2015 and includes on one hand collective contract between the farmers, and on the other – a contract with the distributor of the honey – “Harmonica” (it is also the name of the brand for natural, eco-friendly products). It also has the features of a value-chain contract, given that the honey and honey products go from the farmers to the processor (a small processing plant for organic honey) and distributor (“Harmonica”).
The farmers within the organization are 30 at the moment and are situated in Southeastern and Northwest Bulgaria within the natural reserves of the Stara Planina Mountain. The honeybee products are distributed as high-quality, pesticide free and eco- friendly products with responsibility for the bees and the ecosystems. The contract terms doesn’t include specific amount of honey that should be delivered to Harmonica, but it is specified on a yearly basis. The payments are dependable on the type of honey and are between 6.50-11 euro per kilogram of processed honey.
Objectives
- Conservation of biodiversity by producing honey in environmentally safe way in mountain sites
- Popularization of Bulgarian honey and honey products with high quality and ecofriendly practices
- Collective initiative for encouraging Bulgarian farmers to stay in business
Public Goods
Problem description
The Bulgarian honey is mainly targeted for export for other countries. The honey however is classified as one with very high qualities, but unfortunately the mass consumption (due to lower prices) is of foreign imported honey and honey products. Also, in the last several years the share of poisoned bees due to agricultural activities is rising, putting some pressure on their population and therefore on the ecosystem functioning. The goal of this collective action was to encourage the consumption of premium natural honey which has positive impact on the local biodiversity, security and quality of products, keeping beehives far from industrialized areas and those with high pesticide risks.
