Challenges to beekeepers: Large quantities of imported honey flood the Bulgarian market

Beekeepers in Southwestern Bulgaria report a series of problems in the beekeeping sector. According to Bulgarian honey producers, the large quantities of honey imported from third countries flood the Bulgarian market, and despite the low price and excellent quality of their honey, they find it difficult to sell.

High prices for production supplies and tonnes of unsold honey stockpiled in warehouses are a common picture in the beekeeping sector in the Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil regions in recent years.

Ralitsa Petkova, from the Beekeepers’ Association of Blagoevgrad, states: "There is no sales, no market demand, and even retail demand is weak. Currently, the retail price is around 14 - 15 BGN. In Serbia, in Belgrade, their honey costs 10 euros and can go up to 15 euros."

The huge amount of honey imported from third countries and the lack of state control is among the biggest problems in the sector, beekeepers from other regions also say.

Svetlin Iliev, a beekeeper from Kyustendil, adds: "The biggest problem is the imports — uncontrolled imports from Ukraine, China, Argentina... it comes at very low prices and very low quality, nothing like our honey. Our honey is unique, but with the current purchase price, we are selling it at retail, which is very difficult. We are operating at a loss, the only thing keeping us going is our love for bees."

Veneta Ifandieva, a beekeeper from Blagoevgrad, mentions: "In September, both this year and last, 650,000 tonnes of honey were imported from Ukraine to Bulgaria, and if it goes to the market, it’s priced at 12 - 13 BGN."

Ralitsa Petkova from the Beekeepers’ Association of Blagoevgrad points out: "A price of around 20 BGN is normal to cover a large part of the costs we have for beekeeping, because rices of absolutely everything has increased over the past four years."

There is also a noticeable trend of more beekeepers selling their entire bee production to cover the losses accumulated over the years. There are dozens of examples in Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil alone, the beekeeping industry also said.