Romania sent 1,700 tonnes of honey to countries outside of the EU in 2023, which makes it the European Union’s third-largest honey exporter after Spain (7,100 tonnes) and Germany (5,500 tonnes), according to recent data from Eurostat. 

Last year, EU member states imported 163,700 tonnes of natural honey from extra-EU countries, worth EUR 359.3 million. At the same time, just 24,900 tonnes were exported by the EU members outside the Union, valued at EUR 146 million, Eurostat said.

Compared with 2013, honey imports from outside the EU increased by 20%, and exports to extra-EU countries rose by 14%.

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

The United Kingdom was the primary export partner in 2023, receiving the largest share of EU honey exports (4,300 tonnes, or 17% of all extra-EU honey exports). Next were Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the US, and Japan. 

Germany was the largest importer of honey within the European Union, with 41,000 tonnes imported from countries outside the EU, or 25% of all EU imports. Belgium was second (31,400 tonnes, 19%), ahead of Poland (23,300 tonnes, 14%), Spain (15,700 tonnes, 10%) and France (7,700 tonnes, 5%).

Meanwhile, Spain was the biggest exporter, sending 7,100 tonnes of honey to countries outside the EU, or 29% of all extra-EU honey exports. Germany was next with 5,500 tonnes (22% of all exports), followed by Romania (1,700 tonnes, 7%), Hungary (1,600 tonnes, 6%), and Greece (1,500 tonnes, 6%).

Eurostat published the article on May 20 to mark World Bee Day.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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