A city in northern Germany has registered a doubling of beekeepers, it has been revealed.
The news comes as apiculture is becoming increasingly popular in both the countryside and urban areas.
Now it has been announced that there are currently almost 10,000 beekeepers in and around Hanover, a city with 545,000 inhabitants.
A spokesperson for the regional association of beekeepers told the Bild newspaper that this was an increase of 50 per cent compared to figures from five to seven years ago.
The vast majority of apiarists in Lower Saxony – the state where Hanover is located – are hobbyists. The same applies to beekeepers all across Germany.
Those who are managing hives in the Hanover region are currently in charge of 65,000 colonies.
Germany’s regional authorities and the country’s numerous beekeeping unions are offering lectures for beginners and advanced apiarists.
Experts say anyone interested in taking up beekeeping should consult their landlords and inform their neighbours to avoid conflicts.
Last year, each resident of Germany – which is home to more than 149,000 beekeepers – consumed an average of 800 grammes of honey.
