Apiculture

Survey of honey market

Ukrainian honey market is one of the most promising and successful markets among all agricultural branches of the country.

Raw Materials

Back in the USSR, in Ukraine  there were 5 mln bee families which produced about 60 th tons of gross honey annually, i.e., one bee family produced about 12 kg honey per year (the potential was 100 kg).

When Ukraine got its independence, the number of bee families reduced. As a result of mass damage slightly more than 2 mln families survived in winter-spring of 2002-2003. According to experts’ estimation, at present there are about 3.75 mln bee families in Ukraine. Sunflower honey and its symbiosis with other kinds of honey is the leader at the market. It dominates in the south and east of Ukraine. Acacia honey acknowledged as elite type is typical for the south. Buckwheat honey is mainly produced in the central and western parts of Ukraine.

Honey from Ukrainian meadows is one of the best world products. They are honey kinds gathered from wild honey plants which have strong aroma (the south of Ukraine), honey from reserve areas (Askania-Nova, Striletskyi step, etc.), May honey (e.g., blend of acacia and cornflower and others).

Experts from Kharkiv, Sumy and Poltava regions are particularly good. Ecologically clean honey products are typical for these regions.  

Production

World honey production makes for 1.5 mln tons per year, Ukraine producing 5%. According to FAO, since the year of 2008 Ukraine has taken the first place in honey production among the European countries (gross yield up to 75 th tons), and the fourth place among such world leaders as China (367 th tons), Turkey (81.4 th tons) and Argentina (81 th tons).

Producers

Over 2 thousand honey producers operate in Ukraine. 95% of Ukrainian honey yield is produced by household owners. Hundreds of thousands of apiaries are more like hobbies or crafts than up-to-date industry. The following entities represent production facilities of apiculture of Ukraine:

• collective farm enterprises - 10%;
• households - 33%;
• private apiaries, farms – 44%
• forestry – 5%
• others – 8%