EU honey market analysis
Our honey market analysis shows that the European Union is the world's second-largest honey producer, after China. In 2023, EU countries imported 163,700 tonnes of natural honey from outside the Union, worth EUR 359.3 million. Find out more about the honey market in our brief!
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Which EU country has the most beekeepers?
Germany has the most beekeepers in Europe: almost 150,000 people were engaged in this work in 2022. Poland came second with more than 91,000 beekeepers, while Italy was third with 81,000.
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| Country | Number of beekeepers |
|---|---|
| Germany | 149,105 |
| Poland | 91,005 |
| Italy | 81,693 |
| Czechia | 65,042 |
| France | 62,744 |
| Spain | 36,494 |
| Austria | 34,430 |
Source: European Commission
The average number of hives per beekeeper in the EU is 29, but Greece far exceeds this figure with 99 hives per beekeeper. Next come Cyprus and Bulgaria, ex aequo with 81, while Poland is in 13th place with 24 hives per beekeeper.
| Country / area | Hives per beekeeper |
|---|---|
| Greece | 99 |
| Cyprus | 81 |
| Bulgaria | 81 |
| EU average | 29 |
| Poland (13th place) | 24 |
02
Where does the EU import honey from?
In 2023 most honey imported into the EU came from China (more than 60,000 tonnes), with Ukraine second (almost 46,000 tonnes).
One of the challenges for the European honey market is undoubtedly the growing imports of cheap honey from outside the EU. In 2023 most imported honey came from China, with more than 60,000 tonnes. Ukraine was second, with almost 46,000 tonnes.
In 2023, a total of almost 164,000 tonnes of honey was imported into the European Union. The countries importing the most honey from outside the European Union, despite their own production, are Germany, Poland and Belgium.
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| Country | Imports (thousand t) | Share of total EU imports (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 41 | 25 |
| Belgium | 31.4 | 19 |
| Poland | 23.3 | 14 |
| Spain | 15.7 | 10 |
| France | 7.7 | 5 |
Source: European Commission
At the same time, EU countries export honey mainly to Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Total honey exports from the European Union were more than 24,900 tonnes. The largest honey exporters in the Union by volume in 2023 were Spain with a 29% share (7,100 tonnes), Germany with 22% (5,500 tonnes) and Romania with 7% (1,700 tonnes).
| Country | Share of EU honey exports (%) |
|---|---|
| Spain | 29 |
| Germany | 22 |
| Romania | 7 |
03
How does the EU support beekeepers?
In 2023–2027, EUR 610 million of EU and national funds will support the EU beekeeping sector, including fighting diseases, adapting to climate change, promotion and training.
According to the European Commission, bees increase the revenue of European agriculture by at least EUR 22 billion a year. In addition to producing honey, bees help to produce other bee products such as pollen, propolis, royal jelly and wax. Bees are also estimated to pollinate more than 80% of crops and wild plants in Europe.
On 13 June 2024 the European Commission announced a call to set up a platform to gather the best available expertise on honey authenticity. The expert group is to help detect honey adulteration and track down fraudulent producers and importers. The European Union recognises that honey bee colonies are essential for agriculture and the environment. For this reason, in 2023–2027 EUR 610 million of EU and national funds will support the beekeeping sector in the EU. This support covers, among other things, investments in fighting diseases and adapting to climate change. Promotional activities and training will also be supported.
The honey market in the European Union is growing fast. Support for beekeepers and care for honey authenticity are key to its future.
This text is not a full market analysis of the kind we carry out for our clients. It contains only selected information about the market, which we can expand on request.
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Source: MarketHub, "EU honey market analysis", markethub.pl, 06.2024