Official honey production in Ukraine is primarily oriented towards the European consumer – more than two-thirds of the product is exported to the European Union. Only 1% of Ukrainian honey is consumed on the domestic market, according to Vadym Pankovsky, the head of the Association "Union of Ukrainian Honey Exporters and Processors", as reported by agronews.ua.
"Fewer Ukrainians means less consumption. Honey producers have completely stopped targeting the Ukrainian consumer. Everything that is consumed domestically – there are enough beekeepers in one region to meet the needs. Everything else goes for export," says the expert.
The main reason for this situation, according to experts, is the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. The decrease in purchasing power and migration of Ukrainians forced producers to reorient towards exports. The middle class, which was the target audience for domestic honey, has practically disappeared, Pankovsky notes.
"Previously, we used to deliver around 10 tons to Kyiv stores every week across all networks. Now – two tons per month. Honey is not a necessity. What you see on the shelves is negligible. Not even 1% of the total honey collection," states the head of the Association.
He emphasizes that official statistics on honey in Ukraine leave much to be desired. Not all beekeepers have registered apiaries, so sometimes Ukraine exports more honey than it officially produces. Therefore, a beekeeper who breeds a small number of bees for personal use and occasionally treats friends with honey is unlikely to be included in the statistics.
"There is a certain portion that is sold in markets. But these are beekeepers whose beekeeping is not based on a professional basis, who have 10-15 hives," explains Pankovsky.
