This summer’s honey campaign is facing a tough season. High temperatures and stiff competition on the shelves of Asian syrup vendors are complicating efforts. Juanjo Ribes, the beekeeping delegate of Unió Llauradora in Castellón, explains: “There are fewer bee flocks because the hive population slows during drought and heat. If beekeepers attempt to expand too late, they risk an uncertain future.” He notes that multiple factors converge, including two bad years and the rainfall deficit of 2023, which amplify the impact on a sector that already struggles when unprepared. In his view, some beekeepers diversify, relying on other lines of work if beekeeping doesn’t succeed.
Climate and competition
“The absence of rain and a severe drought hinder pollination when blooms fail to appear,” Ribes continues. He adds that inferior quality honey or imported syrups, especially when contrasted with Spanish products, undermines local producers. A locally produced treat of sugar boiled with rice, common in parts of Asia, can sell for about 1.30 euros and pressures domestic honey makers.
Campaigns this summer may yield very little honey. “There is scarce rosemary honey and almost no other varieties, except for some rosemary-honey in Maestrat de Castelló infused with acorns and lavender.” As for orange honey, the dryness makes it uncertain where the bees can forage, and producers must reserve spare honey for the summer.
“Take less to survive”
“This summer, the beekeeper who takes all the honey may see a brief bloom. In Teruel, late flowering thyme keeps some regions thriving, but in Aragon the drought limits options. Harvests may reach at most 30–40% of typical yields; then water and other necessities become essential,” the expert notes. “If a producer must lose weight to keep bees alive, two kilos can be spared to protect the hive.”
Beekeeping in Castellón is projected to produce about half of what it did last year. “In 2022 the harvest was already half due to rainy, cold days that hindered work. This year, the opposite is true. The country has dried like an oven. We may see the minimum harvest,” the beekeeper states.
Abandonment due to low profitability: “Some are considering quitting beekeeping in Vila-real or Almassora”
- The beekeeping sector employs about 400 farmers in Castellón, according to Unió Llauradora, but in 2023 roughly half that number, around 200, are weighing a change. If drought and prices persist, many fear closure. “If drought and prices squeeze profits, some may perish,” says Juanjo Ribes.
- He adds, “If a beekeeper cannot achieve annual profit, they may sell the bees or abandon the operation. Those who rely solely on beekeeping face liquidation if production prices stay below costs. Colleagues in Les Alqueries, Vila-real, Almassora, Almenara, and across the Valencia region report selling everything to cope with rosemary and orange honey shortages. They paused campaigns, liquidated assets, and left the farm. In 2022, extreme heat caused heavy bee losses with few resources to respond.”
How much is a kilo?
From the union’s perspective, a kilogram of good honey should fetch about 10 to 12 euros, while many batches sell for around 6 to 7 euros. Imports can fall to about 3.40 euros per kilo, which is seen as low quality and below cost. Producers feel pressured by the price environment and the lack of rainfall.
Possible remedies to preserve the industry include straightforward labeling to avoid consumer confusion. A tested jar revealed only 10% honey and 90% rice syrup. When high-quality Spanish products pollinate the Mediterranean botanicals, the result is usually notable, and this is often reflected in the market.
Annual consumption
Kelbet’s shopping cart study shows Castellón residents consuming roughly 40 kilos of honey per hour spent shopping. The National Institute of Statistics reports an average annual per-person consumption of about 1.7 kilograms of jam and honey combined, totaling around 600 grams of honey per person per year. The most recent ministry data indicate about 81,800 beehives in Castellón with an annual extraction around 1,390 tons in recent years.