Large imports lower honey prices and jeopardize the viability of the Alicante industry

Despite the decline in the domestic orange blossom honey yield, prices are falling. While it paid between 4.50 and 5 euros per kilo last year, it does not exceed 3.80 this year.. The situation is even worse for other honeys such as rosemary, lavender and acorn because there is almost no harvest.

In an increasingly complex production scenario, Huge imports from third countries such as Argentina, China, Romania, Mexico, Turkey, Ukraine and Uruguay at extremely cheap prices upset the vitality of the industry.. In this sense, La Unió claims that imported honey achieves the same quality standards as that produced in the EU, and particularly under the Mercosur agreement, it will further facilitate the entry of honey currently imported in large quantities from several South American countries.

At the same time, it demands an immediate update of detection methods for heavy adulterations and syrupy mixtures.As it is known recently, it occurs in most of the honey imported by the EU. The organization also proposes an improvement in existing honey labeling so that consumers can more clearly identify what they are consuming and where it is coming from.

High costs and insufficient assistance

State aid to the beekeeping sector is completely inadequate – only 5 million euros – and was poorly planned from the start, as the amounts the beekeepers will receive are very low and do not cover more than a minimum part of the real costs of the beekeepers. Therefore, they do not serve to solve the situation experienced by manufacturers who have doubled their production costs in the last year.

The drought and the war in Ukraine have only aggravated the crisis of beekeeping in recent years.: sanitary and climatological problems affecting production, large imports of honey at discounted prices, the effect of fuel, especially transhumance and other raw materials, etc.

Production costs skyrocketed as a result of the increase in raw material prices in the beekeeping sector. and the need to increase the treatment and nutrition of bees due to the drought situation experienced in recent years. For example, spending around 9 euros per hive on food in 2021 increased to 19.2 euros per hive due to increased costs and a drought that extended feeding time. Likewise, the need for fuels, which was 10.75 euros per hive in 2021, fell from 15.56 euros per hive in 2022.

Like this, La Unió warns that real economic support is needed to lessen the impact of war on rising production costs. He also thinks that while MAPA focuses the scarce budget on professional beekeepers, the way it approaches it results in huge differences per beneficiary, with up to 100 differences across the three support ranges based on the number of hives. € 3.67/hive among some beneficiaries and others.

For these reasons, La Unió asks the Government to significantly increase the value of the aid and complement it in each autonomous community, as has been done in other livestock sectors, in order to ensure the sustainability and continuity of this core activity.

In addition, taking into account the real situation of the beekeeping industry and Adequate support measures are taken to overcome difficulties arising from adverse weather conditions. as in the case of drought; due to predators such as the bee-eater causing a sustained decline in the hive population, or the threat of entry by the Asian Giant Vespa; and serious health problems experienced by the hives that endanger the survival of the industry.

Finally, the organization acknowledges that beekeeping is not only a relevant economic activity, but also Plays a crucial role in pollinating crops and protecting biodiversity in the Community of Valencia.