POSTED: Friday, July 20, 2012 - 5:55pm
UPDATED: Friday, July 20, 2012 - 5:58pm
FABENS, TX — Ceballos Honey Farm in Fabens finds itself in a sticky situation... as the nation experiences a 16-percent drop in honey production in the last year.
"By this time, we at least had a semi-load and a half. We usually have two productions, which are one in spring and one in the summer. This spring we didn't have a production. This is the first spring in about 40 years we haven't produced anything," said Norma Calderon.
Calderon... who's worked for the family bees-ness for most of her life... says Ceballos has gradually lost half of its hives.
"We had 6000. Right now, with everything that's going on, we're down to 3000," said Calderon.
Calderon blames drought for causing bees to buzz off.
"Without rainwater, without sufficient irrigation water, the plants are not blooming. It's very hard. They're also dying of thirst," said Calderon.
Calderon says honey could become "liquid gold" as the shortage has already prompted a small price increase at Ceballos.
However... Calderon maintains hope her family's business will become swarmed with good fortune.
"We're seeing cotton fields that are blooming and the alfalfa fields so hopefully that we'll bring in a good supply for us," said Calderon.