Bee-farming is a promising branch of the agro-industrial complex in the Russian regions including the Altai Region with all required conditions for the development of the in-dustry. Numerous melliferous plants growing in the Altai Region is good bee forage which contributes to bee-farming development. Honeybees produce first-class hon-ey varieties with an extraordinary aroma and tastes from the nectar of the local melliferous plants. According to the plan of breed zoning, the European dark bee (Apis mellif-era melliferaL.) is recommended in the Altai Region. Intro-duced to West Siberia in the second half of the 18th centu-ry, these bees have adapted well to the local climate and settled in different natural zones. The comparison of the morphometric and economic indices of the Altai population with purebred individuals will make it possible to determine their position in the breed composition of honeybees. The data on the exterior characteristics of bees and the compo-sition of 2 honeybrands collected in the mountain-taiga zone of the Region is discussed. It was found that the bees of the Altai population, in terms of measured indices (the average proboscis length -6.2 mm; tergite 3 width -5.0 mm; cubital index -59.5%, negative discoidal dis-placement in 100% of individuals, etc.) were consistent with the standard of the European dark bee. Pollen study of 2 brands of centrifuged honey showed that the main pollen belonged to the plants of the Umbelliferae family (39.4%) in one sample and Compositae (56.5%) in another sample. The rest of the pollen was found in insignificant quantities and belonged to the plants of the following families: Rosaceae, Onagraceae, Labiatae, Fabaceae, Crucifers and Boraginaceae.
State and problems of exporting the products of the agro-industrial complex in the Altai region
