Argentine Beekeepers' Magazine

(Espacio Apícola, October 17th, 2021) In their desire to distinguish their products and marketing conditions, producers and beekeeping cooperatives from Traslasierra, Ischilin, Cruz del Eje, among other towns, departments and areas of the northwest arc of the Córdoba province, Argentina, were finally able to submit a request to the Ministry of Agriculture for the recognition of Geographical Indication (GI) of Honey from Cordoban Natural Forest.

The northwest arc of the Córdoba province, Argentina (map of the province indicating five departments of the western Córdoba corresponding to the publication of its Apibotanical Map in our magazine Espacio Apícola nº 80 - Dec. 2007), is an area of more than 4 million hectares in which predominate the Western Forest of Chaco and the production of honey from algarrobo (Prosopis spp.) and mistol (Zizyphus mistol), among others. The bee flora of the five departments of the northwest of Córdoba was surveyed by Biology PhD Prof. and Palynologist Cristina Costa of the School of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences of the National University of Córdoba with the collaboration of the team of the Farm Chair of the School of Agricultural Sc. from the same UNC. Dr. Costa, during a personal communication today, reminded us that initially they were looking for the Origin Designation (as we published in Espacio Apícola magazine No. 59) and that they finally opted for the GI. Starting in 2004 and with the publication of the bee flora of the Minas Department (Espacio Apícola no. 63), the works that today support this GI application for Honey from Cordoban Native Forest were successively published.

The request was published on October 11th in the Official Bulletin of the Argentine Republic and, if no opposition arises in the next thirty days, it hopes to be approved. This request coincides with the promulgation of a Law promoting the Organic Production for Regional Economies by the National Congress on September 28th and published in the same Official Bulletin on October 12th. In this regard, the Villa de Soto Beekeeping Cooperative is starting organic certification work with the Grúas San Blas group, according to what Luciano Cuenca, producer and member of the cooperative's board of directors, told us today.

Aforementioned  GI application for Honey from Cordoban Native Forest link published in the Official Bulletin and the link to the publication of the Law for the Promotion of Organic Production for Regional Economies.