Ukraine exports 45,800 tonnes of honey to EU in 2023 - Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry

MOSCOW. Nov 5 (Interfax) - Ukraine exported 45,800 tonnes of honey to the European Union in 2023, which amounted to 28% of all EU honey imports, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry's Agrarian Development Department Yelena Dadus said.

"Markets of EU members are key for honey exports, considering that Ukraine ranks second in terms of honey supply to EU, which amounts to 28% of the entire imports of this product by EU members. According to the Register of Export Capacities, about 72 Ukrainian enterprises export honey," Ukrainian media cited Dadus as saying at the Honey Forum with the theme, "European Integration of the Ukrainian Honey Industry: Challenges and Opportunities."

According to the State Customs Service and the State Statistics Service, honey exports reached 55,400 tonnes worth of $121.4 million in 2023, including 45,800 tonnes worth of $94.9 million (93.6% of all exports) to the European Union. Honey exports to the EU stood at 40,600 tonnes worth of $70.7 million in the first half of 2024.

The ministry said that chief honey exporters in 2023 were EU members (Germany, Poland, Spain, France, Belgium, Romania, Italy, Hungary and Greece) and the United States.

As reported, the Ukraine-EU association agreement allowed Ukrainian enterprises to deliver 18,507 tonnes of honey to the EU market duty-free since June 5, 2024. The EU renewed quotas on August 21 after that amount had been delivered. A new tariff quota will be in effect from January 1, 2025 until June 5, 2025, in the amount of 5/12 of the emergency braking threshold.