29 November 2018
The farms in Constantia are as concerned about the die-off of bees as the beekeepers. We are committed to give our full co-operation in all efforts to determine the exact cause of the problem. Currently there is a lot of speculation going on and we feel that the problem needs scientific input to direct our corrective action in the right direction. Agricultural advisers, suppliers of agricultural products together with their technical researchers are joining an upcoming meeting, which is scheduled for *Friday 7 December 2018*.
The secluded nature of Constantia and the small number of role players will make it the ideal area for the researchers to study the possible causes. We would however like to stress the fact that this is not only a Constantia problem and nor a pure Wine Industry related problem. Areas where die-off of bees occurred is widespread.
We can confirm that fipronil is widely used across the industry, including Constantia. Fipronil has been in use for the past eight years, with no damaging effect to bee hives. The Constantia Farmers have immediately terminated the use of fipronil after beekeepers suspected this product to be harmful.