In W38 in the honey landscape, the European Union (EU) agricultural organizations and cooperatives, represented by COPA-COGECA, emphasized again the need for honey labeling to include the country of origin and specify the percentage of each origin in mixtures. They also advocate for setting an objective of 0% for adulterated honey within the Union by 2030. Failure to address the issue is considered "devastating" for the sector, and experts warn that without action, approximately one-third of European beekeepers could stop their activity, resulting in the potential loss of 5 million bee colonies by 2030.
Bulgaria's Minister of Agriculture has committed to implement a honey import quota from Ukraine to Bulgaria once the imported honey reaches 500 metric tons (mt). This decision comes in response to the significant surplus of over 10 thousand mt of domestic honey due to a lack of market demand. Despite wholesale buyers reducing the purchase price to a range of USD 1.74 to USD 1.85 per kilogram (kg), there have been no buyers for this surplus honey. Moreover, Bulgarian honey producers will receive extraordinary support from October 1 to 10 under a rural development program. This support aims to help farmers affected by the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and is expected to benefit over 623 thousand bee families with approximately USD 3.27 million in funding.
Meanwhile, the Official Gazette of the Basque Country in Spain published an Order on September 20, approving the regulatory framework for providing beekeeping aid during the period of January 1 and July 31, 2023, in the Autonomous Community of Euskadi. This initiative is part of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-2027 and aims to support actions that enhance beekeeping product manufacturing and marketing. The aid allocated to beekeeping in the Basque Country for 2023 will have a maximum amount of USD 42,790, representing 40% of the funds from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF). Eligible applicants include producers with more than 150 hives that meet the specified requirements. Additionally, the maximum amount for supported actions cannot exceed USD 5.32 per hive.
Lastly, for over 26 years, the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri) in Peru has designated September 23 as National Beekeeper's Day. This recognition honors more than 40 thousand small beekeeping producers that contribute to strengthening crops and aiding in environmental protection and conservation. The regions with the highest number of beehives in Peru include Cusco (23,426), La Libertad (21,136), Junín (19,874), Lima (16,805), Apurímac (15,614), and Cajamarca (15,491). Currently, Peru has an estimated beehive population exceeding 300 thousand. Moreover, the country's honey production is at approximately 2,314 mt, with an average of 10.8 kg per hive.
