Eurostat: EU imported 359.3M euro worth of honey in 2023

In 2023, European Union members imported 163 700 tonnes of natural honey from extra-EU countries, worth 359.3 million euro, EU statistics agency said on May 20, marking World Bee Day.

At the same time, just 24 900 tonnes were exported by the EU members outside the EU, valued at 146 million euro, Eurostat said.

Compared with 2013, honey imports from outside the EU increased by 20 per cent (from 136 300 to 163 700 tonnes) and exports to extra-EU countries rose by 14 per cent (from 21 700 to 24 900 tonnes).

In 2023, imports of honey from countries outside of the EU came mainly from China (60 200 tonnes, or 37 per cent of total extra-EU honey imports), followed by Ukraine (45 800 tonnes, 28 per cent), Argentina (20 400 tonnes, 12 per cent), Mexico (10 700 tonnes, 7 per cent) and Cuba (4 700 tonnes, 3 per cent).

The United Kingdom emerged as the primary export partner in 2023, receiving the largest share of EU honey exports (4300 tonnes, or 17 per cent of all extra-EU honey exports).

Following closely were Saudi Arabia (3500 tonnes, 14 per cent), Switzerland (3400 tonnes, 13 per cent), the United States (3300 tonnes, 13 per cent) and Japan (2500 tonnes, 10 per cent).

In 2023, Germany was the largest EU importer of honey within the EU, importing 41 000 tonnes of honey from countries outside of the EU, or 25 per cent of all EU imports.

Belgium was the second largest importer (31 400 tonnes, 19 per cent), ahead of Poland (23 300 tonnes, 14 per cent), Spain (15 700 tonnes, 10 per cent) and France (7700 tonnes, five per cent).

Spain took the lead as the biggest exporter, sending 7100 tonnes of honey to countries outside of the EU, or 29 per cent of all extra-EU exports of honey.

Germany followed with 5500 tonnes (22 per cent of all exports), ahead of Romania (1700 tonnes, seven per cent), Hungary (1600 tonnes, six per cent) and Greece (1500 tonnes, six per cent), Eurostat said.

(Photo: Anna Mayak/ Wikimedia Commons)