An opportunity to boost Vietnamese honey exports to the EU

According to the Industry and Trade Information Centre (Ministry of Industry and Trade), honey production volume in the EU has plummeted in recent years due to fluctuations of weather. Meanwhile, import demand for honey in the EU is massive, especially products made from honey such as propolis and royal jelly… This is a big opportunity for Vietnam to boost honey exports to the EU, mostly since the EVFTA is already in effect.

International information sources show that the year 2020 marked a new negative record for European honey producers, with a 40% decrease in production volume compared to 2019.

In Europe, honey production is mainly done in Eastern and Southern Europe. Harsh weather in the previous year has led honey production volume in many countries to a severe reduction. In Italy and Portugal, honey production volume is expected to receive a 70-80% decrease.

Not only the sharp decrease in output, countries in Central and Eastern Europe are also nearly unable to supply some types of honey, such as acacia honey.

For a long time, European beekeepers have been used to dealing with a bad crop after a good one. However, due to climate change, European beekeepers had to experience 3 consecutive declines in bee crops. This is directly affecting 650,000 beekeepers in this region, but it is an opportunity for countries with beekeeping for honey to promote honey export to the EU, including Vietnam.

The EU is the second-largest honey producer and the largest honey importer in the world. Up until now, the EU has occupied 40% of the imported honey volume worldwide. The fact that the sharp drop of the production volume in the EU in 2020 will cause this market to import more honey than before to meet the consumer’s demand.

Honey is currently one of Vietnam’s key export products. In 2020, Vietnam’s natural honey exports reached US$ 71.3 million in value. In the animal husbandry industry, the export value of honey is only under animal feed (US$ 789 million) and milk (about US$ 270 million).

Vietnamese honey is exported mostly to the US, then to the EU market. The rest is exported to several other countries and consumed domestically. At the moment, Vietnam ranks second in Asia and sixth in the world in terms of honey export.