The EU beekeeping sector faces many challenges. On top of the ones posed by climate change, lack of forage resources, pollutants and the introduction of invasive species, beekeepers struggle to sell their main commercial product: honey. They must compete against low-cost imports, rising production costs and widespread honey fraud.
In 2022, the EU produced only 60% of its honey needs, relying heavily on imports, with China supplying 36%. A recent study revealed that 46% of imported honey samples didn't meet EU standards, with common fraud practices like mislabelling and s ugar syrup additions.
The hard market situation has been looming for several years. It has become even more acute due to several factors. Professional beekeepers selling their honey in drums are particularly affected, but the impact is also felt in other sector areas. The consequence is the loss of beekeeping businesses. This affects not only honey production but also the EU's food security. In some EU regions, there are already not enough bee colonies to pollinate agricultural crops sufficiently, as wild pollinators do not cover pollinating needs. If more and more beekeepers are forced out of business, the pollination of numerous crops and wild plants is at stake.
BeeLife research on Pollinator Hub and co-partners Data
Thanks to a collaboration with Copa-Cogeca, BeeLife, the Pollinator Hub team and the Deutsche Imkerbund have published the Honey Market Report to analyse honey trade and production data from Eurostat, Trade Map, and FAOSTAT, focusing on imports and exports of "Natural Honey" within and outside the EU. It examines honey flows, price variations, and production costs, incl. fuel, labour, feed, and veterinary products. The study also incorporates production cost data provided by Member States for the last National Apiculture Programmes.
By analysing detailed trade data, production volumes, and import/export trends, the report aims to provide stakeholders with a comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting the honey market.
This analysis is crucial for devising strategies to support the EU’s beekeeping sector, ensuring its sustainability and resilience against fraudulent practices and market disruptions.
Trade agreements implications
Several bilateral trade agreements currently under discussion (e.g., the trade agreement with India) or already in force (e.g., the Autonomous Trade Measures for Ukraine) may contribute to maintaining the critical situation of European beekeepers. Other trade agreements, like Mercosur, may worsen the situation, increasing 15,000 t of imported honey from Latin America. Although imports from South America tend to be more expensive than those from Asia or Eastern Europe, they are still a cheap alternative to EU honey. Moreover, European beekeepers can no longer face unfair competition from countries such as China and others that do not respect honey as a natural product.
Are there feasible solutions?
The report identifies some solutions and best practices that should be followed by authorities and stakeholders to stop the current EU Honey crises.
One solution could be generating more income for beekeeping from the value of pollination by honey and wild bees in the EU, which was estimated at €14,6 billion about 15 years ago.
To reverse the negative trend, politicians at both the EU and national levels must act now to avoid further jeopardising the survival of the EU's beekeeping sector. Some of the key points are:
The fight against adulterated honey must be reinforced by increasing controls, standardising, and developing modern analytical methods to test the product's authenticity.
EU and international traceability must be established as soon as possible as an essential tool against fraud.
Consumer confidence must be restored to support the marketing of EU honey.
Import prices must reflect the actual production costs. There is evidence that this is often not the case. This is also partly linked to honey adulteration, which allows low prices. Anti-dumping duties could be imposed.
The import of honey has to be banned from companies or whole countries if they do not respect the definition of honey in the EU Honey Directive or the Codex Alimentarius.
Time to act
European beekeepers can no longer face unfair competition from countries such as China and others that do not respect honey as a natural product. This situation is exacerbated by certain importers and packers, e.g. from the UK, who import large quantities of cheap honey from China.
Lasse Hellander, President of BeeLife, stated: “The solutions identified must be implemented to save beekeeping and thus ensure food security in the EU. It is evident that simply increasing the price of EU honey further is not the answer: there will still be unfair competition from dubious products labelled as 'honey'. Secondly, it is not in the interests of beekeepers for honey to become a luxury product. Therefore, it is high time we tackle the problems in the beekeeping sector identified in the report.”
On 28 January, beekeepers from Spain, Portugal and France will mobilise in their countries in front of the Representations of the European Commission to demand, among others, more intensive border controls and improved traceability, a reference laboratory for honey fraud at the EU level, which can accelerate the validation of analytical methods for the detection of adulterated honey.