TRINIDAD'S BEE HISTORY

Trinidad's Bee History

​It is believed that the first bees on the island of Trinidad and Tobago were kept and manage by the government (at the Royal botanic Gardens) in 1902. The only other bees here was recorded in 1918 on Tobago, Scarborough to be exact, and they were privately managed by Jimmy Fraser. However, in my research it was discovered that as early as 1901 there is evidence of beekeeping in Trinidad.
 
 In 1908 primary overseeing responsibility was placed on the newly formed Department of Agriculture. The Legislative Council past the Beekeeping and Bee Products Act of 1935 that was amended in 1949. The Act was to control beekeeping via inspectors, registration of apiaries …and placing restrictions on the importation of bees and their byproducts. The first apiary to be registered under this Act was on January 30th, of 1937.
 
Honey was exported from Trinidad from around 1914 through 1958 with the height of exports being over 71,000 pounds in 1947. This declined due to the exportation no longer being cost-effective at that time. Now moving ahead to 1988, with the decentralizing of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry’s Apiaries Unit being undone leaving beekeepers at a disadvantage.
 
Since then, beekeepers have faced many challenges to include the arrival of the Africanized Bees in 1979. This marked a turning point in Trinidad as within a few years all bees on the island became Africanized. This resulted in a serious decline of beekeepers and colonies in Trinidad; more than half of all beekeepers had given up the business because of the Africanized bees.
    
Most people are not aware today, that for some years now, beekeepers have been reporting a decline in honey production due to a mysterious loss of brood and working bees in their hives. There has been, and still are, various speculations as to why this is; one is the use of pesticides and chemicals. With your support we can continue in the good fight to keep honey pure.
 
Here at Anthony’s Honey, we strive to protect the bees, and maintain pure and natural honey harvesting methods. Support Anthony’s Honey, and help us protect the bees and us! You the consumer have the ability to aid in the good fight to protect honeybees. Support the production of natural, pure, and healthy honey. Remember, bees keep the earth pollinated so that we may have food to eat! 

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