Analysis of Factors Affecting Costs in Beekeeping Enterprises: The Case of the Western Black Sea

Sustainability and financial profitability in beekeeping rely heavily on a precise evaluation of unit production costs, hive yield, and regional floral dynamics. This study analyzed the cost structure, economic profitability, and key factors influencing unit honey production costs across 98 beekeeping enterprises in the Western Black Sea subregion of Türkiye. Primary data collected through face-to-face data request forms using Neyman’s stratified random sampling were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and backward multiple linear regression analysis. The subregional mean honey yield was 2.77 kg/hive, with a unit production cost of 14.18 USD/kg, an average selling price of 27.94 USD/kg, and a profit of 38.12 USD/hive. Bee-feeding expenses were the largest cost component at 38.01%, followed by auxiliary materials. We identified highly significant interprovincial variation across all cost, price, and profitability parameters (p < 0.001). The regression results showed that the variables included in the model explained 97.3% of the variation in total cost (adjusted R2 = 0.973, R2 = 0.975) and that bee feeding was the highest cost component. In conclusion, enhancing yield per hive, optimizing feeding expenses, and effectively combating biological threats, such as the chestnut gall wasp, are essential strategic interventions to achieve economies of scale and ensure long-term sustainability.