Nice for you to drop by the forum Solomon.

Let me check some of my records, for sure there are several beekeepers within your vicinity. They can provide answers as to where you can get the training/s.

As to what you would need for the start-up. I would suggest that you get a nucs or maybe a couple of nucs, try to be comfortable with them first and then later on you can decide if you want to expand or not.

Welcome to the forum

Hi Solomon,

Welcome to PBF.  Am a new beekeeper as well, i dont have a lot of beekeeper contacts yet, but Ill ask around the ones I already met. As bochekokik says, better to have one or two nucs until you get comfortable then expand from there. Thats how i did it. Even tho I had seminar and research, I did a lot of bloopers with my first hive. Then i added two more nucs, after a couple of months. I didnt have any mentor but I had PBF who figured out my mistakes and helped me understand whats going on with my hives. Hope you get started soon and enjoy beekeeping.

Kamusta po!

I recently registered with this site with the hope of gaining more reliable info about beekeeping from fellow Filipinos. Marami po kaseng mga informative websites na mga foreigners ang mga gumawa kaya hesitant ako na basahin ang mga yun baka kase hindi applicable dito sa atin sa Pilipinas. Gusto ko po sanang mag start ng ganitong klaseng business kase nabalitaan ko malilit lang daw po ang puhunan.Bukod pa dun masarap papakin ang honey. Pang extra income lang sana and who knows baka lumago someday kaya lang it seems that the more I research about beekeeping the more I discover how difficult it can be plus the many essential things I need to have but I'm still quite persistent to really learn every detail of this unique hobby/potential business venture. Sana matulungan nyo po ako.

I have some questions that's been bugging me since nung nagkainteres ako sa idea ng apiculture.

First question is-Magkano po ba ang estimate cost para magstart ng ganitong hobby/business? Aside from studying, I'm also working full time and kahit paano e meron naman po akong ipon. Gusto ko lang sana malaman kung magkano ang magagastos ko.

Second question-I live in an apartment and wala din po akong lupa na maraming puno at halamang namumulaklak. Ano yung alternative na pwedeng mapaglagyan ng mga beehives? Kailangan po ba na I have to actually purchase a piece of land para dun ilagay yung mga bubuyog? What if ilagay ko po siya sa isang vacant lot ?

Third question-Saan po or paano po ako makakukuha ng mga actual honeybees. Pwede po ba yang bilhin online parang tulad ng aso tapos ipadala lang via plane? Where do I buy other pieces of equipment tulad po nung mga protective gear para hindi ma sting ng mga bees.

Fourth question-How do I get to sell my products? Paano po hinaharvest yung honey at paano maitransfer sa mga lalagyan na pwedeng ibenta etc...

I'm from Zamboanga City. Meron po ba kayong alam na gaganapin or ginaganap na mga seminars dito sa area ko na all about apiculture. Gusto ko po sanang matuto.

Any information you would share will be much appreciated.

Sorry for the myriad of questions. Interesado lang po kase talaga ako. Thank you and more power.

welcome to the forum businessminded-lawstudent.

For your questions
1. Magkano ang initial investment?
Mas maganda kung mag aral o magpaturo ka muna kahit basic beekeeping lang muna. Dito mo kasi matutunan ang mga "dos and donts" sa pag aalaga ng bubuyog. Mamaya bumili ka ng colony eh namatay naman, sayang pera. Magiging part ng investment mo ang training/ojt sa mga apiaries (whichever method you may want). Training fee ranges from P2k to P5k.
Now you have your training and very eager to start. Kailangan mo ng nucs. Payo ko lang start small. Kahit 1 or 2 nucs lang para pag pumalpak man eh hindi ganun kasakit. Para kasing praktis mo pa lang ito. Pag nag ok ka sa maliit, kahit ikaw na mag expand.
4framer nucs -> P5k to P6k
Veil -> puwedeng improvised from fishnets or mosquito nets.
hivetool -> puwedeng improvised, ang gamit ko nga pinalatero na lumang stainless bumper ng jeep.
smoker -> huli na namin ito binili P1.5k
Standard 10 framer hive -> P2k depende sa seller. Kakailanganin mo lang ito kung malaki na ang colony at masikip na sa nuc

So far ito ang mga kailangannin mo pansimula. More or less mga P10k.

Now if you are addicted to beekeeping like most of us here, you can start acquiring other equipments lik extractor, etc.
You may also want to invest in woodworking tools, sky is the limit kasi sa beekeeping, pag may kahoy, gawa agad ng kung ano anong experiment sa hives. It does help kung medyo maruning ka mag lagare at mag martilyo.

2. Saan ilalagay ang hive?
Maraming beeks dito na nasa rooftop ang hives nila. As long na hindi mo ito ilagay sa daanan ng tao, you should be ok. Hindi naman maghahanap ng away ang bees unless otherwise proviked. Pag sinipa mo ang hive, ibang usapan yun. Pero kung andun lang ang hive sa isang tabi, you and your neighbors should be ok.
Ginawa ko sa set-up namin, may vacant lot sa tabi ng apartment namin, kinausap ko yung may ari na kami na maglinis at mag ayos ng lupa nya, iwas squatter pa, kaya ayun, pumayag, andun mga colonies namin. Mutual agreement sa may ari ng vacant lot.
Pag dumami na ang colonies mo, then thats the time na kailangan mo na ng ibang lugar na mapaglagyan ng bees.

3. Saan makakabili ng bees at equipments?
Mas maganda kung may beekeeper na malapit sa yo, sa kanya ka na bumili ng bees para less transport cost.
As to the equipments, contact mo UPLB, puwede ka bumili at ipa LBC na lang nila ang items sa yo. Bayad ka lang sa bank bago nila maipadala ang items sa yo.
Puwede ka rin mag improvise ng mga tools, gaya ng hivetool gawa sa lumang bumper. Sky is the limit sa imagination.

4. Paano at saan maibenta ang products?
Sa simula, wag mo muna isipin income, imposible na makakauha ka agad ng toneladang honey sa 4 framer na colony mo. Start small, expect small, kumbaga pang personal consumption muna.
Pag dumating ka na sa punta na 100kgs na harvest mo, nothing to worry, kinakapos ang honey supply dito sa pinas, at hindi ka dapat matakot pag hindi nabili ang honey mo, Honey will not spoil, ever.
For sure marami nabili ng honey wheter it be wholesale or retail. Minsan nga galit pa ang ibang buyer at kulang ang nabili nila.

Hope nakatulong. Let us know if you have any other questions, marami beeks ang willing tumulong dito.

Hi there

Gusto ko lang po sanang itanong kung may alam po kayong gaganapin na seminar/training about beekeeping dito sa area ko (Zamboanga city) kase, I have searched the net and so far parang wala naman ata kung meron man, its not exactly here  in the city at bukod pa dun tapos na yung seminar. How sad! From what I know parang wala pa po atang nag-aalaga ng honeybees dito sa city namin. Wala man lang kaseng kahit isang website, blog or online news article that specifically relates beekeeping dito sa amin unlike sa ibang areas tulad ng Laguna, Baguio, Batangas etc...



Anyway kung meron po kayong malaman or any update about a seminar or training, sana po ay mailagay ninyo dito sa forum. Many thanks!

one more way pa para sa mga equipment,sana mey kapamilya ka o kapuso sa u.s. o ibang bansa,paki suyo ka sa kanila.problema ko din yang lalu na sa wax at queen excluder.and GO! GO! GO! sa pag papa dami ng hives.yun pag aatendent mo sa seminar yun din tutulong sayo.gagabayan ka.lyk what were doing with my mentor in baquio.boch knows who he is

Sus sayang, I understand a lot of Cebuano but still not in Tagalog. I would like to participate in the discussions . It is a good sign that more people are interested into beekeeping, especially Mindanao area as it is identified by different sources as the best place to bee !
Yet, not much on the profesional level is happening. Some problems have been mentioned in this lead ; lack of training possibilities, not sure where to buy equipment and what to buy, lack of funding and technical assistance.
Local bee species need less investment. Top bar methods is the most interesting for beginners as no wax foundation is needed while you learn more on the biology of the bee.
Do not think that the only way to start beekeeping is with the Apis mellifera. Ask around and you will find that there are many apis cerana´s ( LEGWAN ) around in the wild which you can trap and start with.
With the new government at the stearing wheel , a new impuls is expected into organic farming which opens possibilities to pay extra attention into the promotion of beekeeping as integral part of rural development programs.
Beekeeping is not only a nice hobby for people with some capital, it is extremely important for your agricultural crops and biodiversity. It would be a good thing to address the need for improved beekeeping policy towards the new secretary of agriculture Proceso Alcala. I know I will....