Argentina: Nasadi soje ugrozili pčele

Povećani uzgoj soje u Argentini prijeti populaciji pčela, a ta zemlja je najveći izvoznik meda na svijetu.

The Pampas plains of Argentina used to be buzzing with bees.

In these grassy lowlands, the bee population flourished - feeding on wildflowers of the fertile pastures while herds of cattle grazed.

But, a growing soy industry is threatening the honey production.

With more soy fields, there's less grazing land -- and that means fewer bees.

Beekeeper Patricio Crespo:

SOUNDBITE: Patricio Crespo, Beekeeper saying (Spanish):

"The bee follows the cow. Or rather, wherever there are cattle, dairy or beef, beekeepers can work. They exist together without problems, taking advantage of and sharing the flowers, which is what the bee needs."

With soaring demand for food and biofuels - fields of corn, wheat and soybeans have spread across the Pampas plains.

Researcher Alicia Basilio.

SOUNDBITE: Researcher Alicia Basilio saying (Spanish):

"Right now soy is a problem-- the soy take-over, as we call it. But really any large monoculture where they use herbicides that cut down on other plants is going to mean the hive doesn't have flowers for its entire annual cycle. It can't grow, develop itself or produce the amount of honey necessary for the bee or the beekeeper."

Beekeepers in the plains need to find more colonies of bees - some looking in other areas of the country famous for fruit.

Experts said bees from Argentina's apple and citrus orchards produced unusual types of honey, but worried about the impact of agriculture.

SOUNDBITE: Researcher Beatriz Achaval saying (Spanish):

"At any rate, the advance of agriculture does not benefit beekeeping. If beekeeping has a strong capacity for adjusting, that's a different issue. But we can't say agriculture helps."

Argentina is the world's number one exporter of honey - a 145 million dollar industry last year.

Sarah Irwin, Reuters