Ukraine entered the global honey market as a strong player relatively recently but has already established itself as a leading exporter.
This was reported by the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club Association.
In 2024, despite the challenges of the full-scale war, Ukrainian honey continued to demonstrate stable positive dynamics in global trade.
The TOP 5 honey exporters in the world in 2024 are:
№1: China — 169.6 thousand tons
№2: India — 94.8 thousand tons
№3: Ukraine — 85.8 thousand tons
№4: Argentina — 78.1 thousand tons
№5: Vietnam — 48.2 thousand tons
Thus, as of last year, Ukraine ranks third in global honey exports, standing alongside traditional world leaders.
Honey is one of the few components of Ukraine’s agricultural exports that was not affected by the blockade of seaports by Russian forces, as its primary consumers are European countries. Previously, the duty-free quotas for honey under the EU Association Agreement were exhausted within days — sometimes as early as January 4. Following the EU’s decision to abolish tariffs and duties on Ukrainian exports, Ukrainian beekeepers gained profitable export opportunities.
The largest buyers of Ukrainian honey in 2024 were:
- Germany — 18.9 thousand tons
- USA — 12.1 thousand tons
- Poland — 9.7 thousand tons
- France — 9.6 thousand tons
- Belgium — 7.1 thousand tons
Additionally, Ukrainian honey reached markets in Turkey, the UK, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Qatar, Jordan, and others.
However, in 2025, the reintroduction of quotas creates new obstacles for Ukrainian honey exports to the EU. Although these quotas are significantly higher than before, they still do not cover Ukraine’s full export potential. Nevertheless, this remains an important step in helping Ukrainian producers maintain competitiveness in the European market, which continues to be the key outlet for Ukrainian honey.
Such high export results became possible thanks to effective cooperation between agricultural producers and beekeepers. The implementation and adherence to efficient mechanisms of interaction between these sectors remain crucial for all market participants.
