The association’s leadership notes that a message of similar content was sent to the last Cabinet of Ministers last July, but beekeepers received nothing but promises in response.
According to Ion Maxim, ANARM’s executive director, in 2025, acacia honey was completely lost due to spring frosts and honey collection from linden trees decreased by 80%. And the summer drought significantly reduced the production of polyfloral (flower, sunflower) honey.
Insurance against agricultural risks in beekeeping, unlike other branches of animal husbandry and, even more so, crop production, is very difficult.
As a result, even in the situation of higher purchase prices for honey and its rather intensive export, the industry operators have not received sufficient financial resources to ensure normal life of the industry.
For this reason, ANARM, among other organizations of agricultural producers, requested emergency assistance from the government back in the summer.
What beekeepers are asking for
First of all, it was about allocation of 10 kg of sugar from the state rezarev for the formation of the food base of each bee-family kept on authorized (by the National Agency for Food Safety ANSA) apiaries, or the monetary equivalent of this product.
How much resources this would require is not very clear. Data from various agencies differ on this point. Thus, the number of bee families is estimated in the range of 190-265 thousand (ANARM experts consider the most realistic estimate to be 212 thousand), the number of apiaries – more than 3 thousand, the number of practicing beekeepers – about 9 thousand.
Less than a third of them have a valid “apiary passport” and the status of a legal entity.
Accordingly, depending on the chosen mechanism of state aid distribution, its size could vary widely – from several hundred to 1.5-2 thousand tons of sugar.
Secondly, the management suggested that in the short term, a decision should be made to reduce VAT on honey to a level close to the European average.
Currently, honey in Moldova is subject to the standard VAT rate of 20%. Whereas, for example, in Poland the VAT on honey is 5%, in France – 5.5%, in Germany – 7%, in Romania and Bulgaria – 9%, in Austria – 10%.
At the same time, in a number of European countries beekeepers are provided with direct subsidies – in the amount of 8% of the realized honey price. In Moldova, however, the high VAT on honey “puts it in the category of “luxury” products, and many beekeepers – in a gray, “semi-formal zone”.
Thirdly, again, in some perspective, the leadership of the ANARM association proposed to the Moldovan authorities to launch a mechanism of payment/subsidies for beekeepers to organize the process of pollination of agricultural crops. In some major agro-food countries of the world, in particular in the USA, the major part of beekeepers’ income is formed not by the sale of honey, but by pollination services.
Subsidies are not enough
In 2025, beekeepers did not receive emergency aid for damage caused by weather and climatic anomalies.
However, representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in response to repeated reminders of ANARM representatives (that the assistance was promised) in turn reminded beekeepers that they account for most of the “advance payments” from the subsidy fund. In addition, post-investment subsidies are also available to beekeepers – on a general basis.
Nevertheless, Ion Maxim believes that under the rather difficult conditions of the 2025-26 wintering period – thaws followed by waves of severe frosts – without additional costs for feeding and care, the losses of bee families will be significant. What kind of losses – the autopsy (of hives in spring) will show.
