The trend concerning Cyprus is the opposite of that in the rest of the European Union, where imports of honey from countries outside the EU have increased and exports to them have decreased.

In 2021, EU Member States imported a total of 173,400 tonnes of natural honey (worth €405.9 million) from countries outside the European Union, while exporting just 25,500 tonnes to countries outside the EU (worth €146.6 million).

Since 2016 honey imports (by weight) from non-EU countries have increased by 7%, while exports to non-EU countries have decreased by 10%.

In 2021, according to the same data, Cyprus imported 64 tons of honey from countries outside the EU (worth €126,781), while it exported 11 tons to countries outside the EU (worth €81,620).

Honey imports into Cyprus from countries outside the EU decreased in 2021 compared to 2016 when 109 tons of honey (worth €286,865) were imported. During the same period, honey exports from Cyprus to countries outside the EU increased, as in 2016 4 tons of honey (worth €27,713) were exported.

Among member states, the largest importer of honey from outside the EU in 2021 was Germany, having imported 51,900 tonnes (30% of the EU total).

It was followed by Poland (32,200 tonnes or 19%), Belgium (25,600 tonnes or 15%), Spain (14,500 tonnes or 8%) and Portugal (7,100 tonnes or 4%).

Most of the honey arriving in the EU in 2021 came from Ukraine (53,800 tonnes or 31% of the total), China (48,000 tonnes or 28%), Mexico (15,500 tonnes or 9%) Argentina (14,400 tonnes or 8%) and Brazil (7,900 tons or 5%).

Source: Knews