This is one of the key observations of Moldovan participants at the Apimondia 2025 International Congress of Beekeepers, held September 23-27 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Following the results of one of the most authoritative world forums of the beekeeping industry, Ion Maxim, executive director of the National Association of Beekeepers of Moldova ANARM, shared his observations on the specifics of the European honey market with Logos Press correspondent.
The first observation. In Europe, the supply of honey from white acacia harvest-2025 has sharply decreased. Only Hungary offers acacia honey in more or less substantial quantities. However, the demand for this product on the part of European wholesale traders, packers and traders of honey in consumer packaging is very high. Along with acacia honey, other single-sort honeys, such as linden honey, are also in demand. At the same time, which is especially important for Moldovan beekeepers, some large honey buyers have shown interest in polyfloral (floral, mainly sunflower) honey as a basis for blends.
Second observation. The honey market in the European Union continues to tighten the quality requirements for honey. Earlier at the level of “supermarket standards” the permissible norms of content of honey from other plants in single-sort honey, in particular – the same acacia honey, were reduced. This season traders insist on reducing the content of physical impurities in honey – pollen, etc.
The third observation. The geography of honey trade is expanding and changing. Along with Chinese honey suppliers, traders from India and some other Asian countries are becoming more influential in the EU market. At the same time, the niche of European exporters of honey to the EU, in particular from Ukraine, is likely to shrink. Thus, last year more than 80 thousand tons entered the European market in preferential treatment. For 2026, the duty-free Euro quota for honey supplies from Ukraine is set at a rather modest amount – 20 thousand tons.
In this context, honey suppliers from Moldova, who continue to enjoy the benefits of duty-free trade with the EU, could have an additional chance. Especially since traders from Germany, France and other EU countries, along with traditional large buyers from Romania and Italy, have shown interest in honey supplies from Moldova.
The fourth observation. In general, the positive impressions of the Moldovan delegation from Apimondia 2025 have not yet been converted into higher purchase prices and more active honey sales on the Moldovan market. Probably, this process of honey price increase for export will be gradual and not very fast. It will probably become noticeable closer to winter, when traders’ stocks of European honey from last year’s harvest will be reduced.
