EVALUATION OF BEEKEEPING SECTOR IN GÜMÜŞHANE PROVINCE IN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT WITH CLUSTERING APPROACH

Abstract

Gümüşhane province is one of the most demanding provinces with the greatest need for new ideas and regional development incentives because it is located at a very distant point from the developed cities and the province has only road connection to the other cities. The rugged structure and geographical location of Gümüşhane province not only limited its economic development but also caused it to be in the forefront among emigrant provinces for many years. At this point, the lack of employment opportunities in the province and the unsuitability of the province in terms of profitability for investors are among the main reasons of emigration. When the province's local development dynamics are taken into consideration, especially the Kelkit-Şiran-Köse districts have an important place in agriculture sector. In this context, the pristine nature of Gümüşhane province, the presence of large meadow-pasture lands, the abundance of water resources and the diversity of vegetation constitute great potential for the development of beekeeping and beekeeping products sector.
Within the scope of the research, it was tried to determine whether the beekeeping activity showed a possible clustering potential; and the level of this potential was determined by using field research method and survey method. For this purpose, Porter's Diamond Model, which is frequently used in the clustering method, is taken as basis. When the factors that constitute the Diamond model are taken into consideration, it is understood that the province is quite good in terms of terms of various factors such as creating employment opportunities and more demand for apiculture products from out of the region, having favorable climate for apiculture, having geographical topography and altitude, utilization of grants and incentives, lower labor costs, having appeal for foreign producers and creating a high demand for apiculture products. It is mediocre in terms of finding companies for providing convenience in packaging, turning the income from apiculture into investment and making use of KOSGEB support. In terms of having institutions developing technologies, collaboration with NGOs, having producers in search for creation of quality product demand, finding interested and supporting industries, collaboration with universities, making use of development agencies, competitiveness in the product prices, having fierce competition in apiculture products, having a university in the same district, existence of companies that provide marketing opportunities to the producer, and economical contributions of the infrastructure works, it is understood to be weak. Considering all these, it is seen that in Gümüşhane province the apiculture activity is still in its idea stage for aggregation category.