Ion Maxim, director of the National Association of Beekeepers of the Republic of Moldova (ANARM), shared this assessment of the industry’s situation with Logos Press. According to him, in 2026, the acacia honey harvest will amount to 60–70% of the average level (last year, there was no acacia honey at all). It is not currently possible to estimate this volume in metric tons of marketable honey. Traders believe they are unlikely to be able to assemble export shipments of acacia honey of uniform quality amounting to hundreds of metric tons (although there is demand for it in such volumes, particularly from buyers in Italy). Nevertheless, exporters intend to purchase as much acacia honey as possible for blending, since its presence in multifloral (flower) honey automatically (and significantly) improves both the quality and the price of the product.
The acacia honey harvest is currently coming to an end, and the most important and main honey harvest—from sunflower plantations—is beginning. In addition, Ion Maxim believes that this year, thanks to periodic rainfall in the first half of the summer, there may be a substantial harvest of wildflower honey. This is important, first and foremost, for the domestic market, as a wide variety of products is key for it (whereas for exports, volume and consistent quality are the priorities).
What will happen to prices for the new harvest of honey?
In this regard, there will most likely be no good news for Moldovan consumers. Beekeepers, like all agricultural producers, have seen their production costs and financial expectations rise following last year’s relatively poor harvest. Consequently, in the domestic market’s micro-wholesale and retail sectors, prices for 2026 acacia honey are unlikely to fall below the range of 180–200 lei/kg.
Wholesale prices for export shipments of honey are unlikely to be announced before mid-August. Moldovan beekeepers are awaiting the completion of the honey harvest and information on the yield of relatively expensive single-variety honey (acacia, linden, etc.) in the Balkan region—particularly Bulgaria and Romania—as well as in Hungary and Ukraine (specialized Ukrainian media outlets have already forecast a good acacia honey harvest). In addition, there are already reports that Argentina has exported a very large quantity of honey to the European market under the MERCOSUR agreement. Consequently, there are serious concerns regarding a reasonably acceptable starting price level for the new harvest of European honey.
