The honey market in transition: regionality vs. dumping prices

The honey market in transition: regionality vs. dumping prices

food is not just a piece of the tablecloth - it is a political statement!

The latest edition of the 2024 nutritional report, presented by Minister Özdemir, caused a lot of excitement among the German beekeepers. While the report claims that a shocking number of 77 percent of Germans pays attention to regional products when shopping, reality is very different. A look at the shelves of supermarkets shows another truth: over 80 percent of the placement belongs to the foreign cheap honey!

"Consumers say they want regionality, quality and sustainability," explains Jürgen Binder, President of the new beekeeping association. "But take a look at the prices! The cheapest honey for 2.29 euros per 500g simply cannot come from German bees. The costs for the generation in Germany are between 9.35 and 15.80 euros per kilogram." And everyone knows that true price is!

Objection between claim and reality

The fascinating discrepancy between consumer behavior and actual purchase decision will be astonished! Despite the claims in the nutritional report, the German beekeepers can no longer keep up. The shelves bend under the weight of residues from Ukraine and Asian sugar syrups that flood our markets. A massive pressure on the domestic producers leads to stagnation in the native beekeeping.

This means not only a catastrophe for the beekeepers, but also for pollination security in Europe. "If the beekeepers cannot sell their honey profitably, the drastic decline in bee colonies threatens," warned Binder. And who will dust the flowering meadows when the bees disappear?

The price dictation of the mass goods

The numbers are alarming: 55 percent of consumers claim that they prefer inexpensive food, while 70 percent bring ecological standards into play. However, reality? The cheap price rules! However, the sales areas do not adapt to the wishes of the customers, but the low prices!

Binder finally demands measures: "Without anti-dumping tariffs on foreign imports or biodiversity premiums, our beekeeping will continue to be razed to the ground. It is a temporary game for the food safety of our nation!

To say it clearly: The decision what we eat is an important political decision! Every purchase has consequences - not only for our body, but also for our environment, our cultivation area, our bees and ultimately also for our future.

Neuer Beekbund e.V.
Jürgen Binder, President
Friedrichstrasse 171
10177 Berlin
++ 49 170 74
www.neuer-imbund.de