Kastamonu chestnut honey harvest slashes to 100 tons amid gall‑wasp and climate challenges

The chestnut honey (kestane balı) harvest in Turkey’s Kastamonu province has begun, but producers expect a harvest of only about 100 tons this season, far below the roughly 500 tons harvested in previous years. The drop is attributed to severe gall‑wasp infestations and irregular weather linked to climate change, which have reduced flower yields and hive output. About 85,000 bee colonies operate across the province’s 20,000 hectares of chestnut forests, but per‑colony yields have fallen from 10‑15 kg to around 3 kg.

Beekeeper Muzaffer Demir noted a modest recovery in bee activity and flower health, while Kastamonu Beekeepers Association President Cem Başar warned that the gall‑wasp and climate impacts could keep production low through 2026. The official price remains 3,500 TRY per kilogram, a level many producers say does not cover costs. To combat the pest, the regional forest directorate continues releasing the parasitoid beetle Torymus sinensis into affected woodlands.