The activity of beekeeping is considered one of the oldest agricultural economic activities known to man in history, due to the ease and simplicity of the methods used in its production. The research mainly aims to shed light on the production of bee honey and its economic feasibility in Assiut Governorate during the period (2004-2018) through the study of economic efficiency. Estimating production costs and knowing the profitability of bee honey production projects. And the production and marketing problems facing honey producers in Assiut. The data of this study was derived from a stratified random sample of 120 samples of apiaries, and the data was collected through a personal interview with the owners of apiaries representing the sample during the 2018/2019 season.
The indicators of the economic efficiency of the total sample showed that the fixed costs amounted to about 389.39 thousand pounds, while the variable costs amounted to about 1236.82 thousand pounds, and the total costs amounted to about 1626.21 thousand pounds, and the total return amounted to about 3660.80 thousand pounds. The net return amounted to about 2034,58 thousand pounds annually, while the rate of return to costs was about 2.25, while the return on the invested pound amounted to about 1.25.
When conducting the financial evaluation according to the discount rates of 10% and 15% it was found that the ratio of benefits to costs amounted to about 1.76% and 1.57%, respectively, while the current value of net benefits in each of them, about 13.55 and 8.40 million pounds, respectively, while the internal rate of return reached about 13.08%, and the recovery period amounted to about 7.64 years.
By estimating the productive efficiency of the bee honey production project in the study sample of 120 apiaries, it was found that the number of cells was about 8920 cells, and the total production was about 73,216 kg, and the average production was about 7.50 kg/cell, and it was found that the average amount of sugar It reached about 11.14 kg / cell, the average number of working hours was about 43.90 hours, the average number of years of experience was about 11 years, the average variable costs amounted to about 10.30 thousand pounds, and the average total costs amounted to about 13,55 thousand pounds, and the average farm price was about 50 pounds.
It was found from the study sample that the most important productivity problems are the problem of the high value of operational costs, which occupied the first place, followed by the problem of low return in the second place, and the problem of the lack of specialized mentors came in the last rank.