Beekeeping market in Poland

Although Polish beekeeping is on a high level in the EU in respect to the number of bee families and honey production, there are several problems that need attention:
* low percentage of young beekeepers ( the average age of Polish beekeeper is 57 years)
* high fragmentation of apiaries that hinders modernization processes
* insufficient number of investments in beekeeping

There are also some beneficial changes that occurred in the period of last three years:
* systematic increase in number of beekeepers under 37 (approximately 11% of all beekeepers)
* improvement in quality of bee products

Honey prices

According to the information provided by Polski Zwiazek Pszczelarski (Polish Association of Beekeepers), market honey prices from 2007 were slightly higher than in 2006, in retail and wholesale purchase. The increase in prices oscillated between 20 and 28%. It is assumed that such situation resulted from lower honey production in 2007 as in 2006 was considered to be a record year.
It is worth mentioning that at the beginning of 2008 a promotional program 'Zycie miodem slodzone' (Honey sweetened life) has commenced which with high probability will contribute to the increase in honey consumption and eventually it will lead to a raise in pricing. 

Production

In recent year, noticable rise in honey production has been observed in Poland. It is caused by several factors:
  • considerably high nectar quantity
  • increasing honey efficiency of a beehive
  • structural changes facilitated by financial subsidies (programs of Ministry of Agriculture)



International trade

 
European Union, importing approximately 500 000 tons of honey each year, is the biggest honey importer in the world. Poland also registers observable surplus in import when compared with export. Insignificant differences in this proportion depend on the amount of produced honey in a given year. In 2006 a record amount of honey was produced - 22 00 tons - resulting in decline in honey import in 2007.



Consumption

Another advantageous change on honey market is systematic growth of honey consumption ( excluding year 2004). In 2006 and 2007 it amounted to 0,63 kg and 0,61 kg respectively per inhabitant (0,7 kg is the EU average).



 
To find out more about beekeeping market visit the official website of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (www.minrol.gov.pl)


 
Source: ”Biuletyn Informacyjny”
Ministerstwa Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi, nr 7-8/2008
Photo: Jerzy Żak
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