Péter Bross: they would buy the more expensive honey if they knew where it came from

By: Trademagazin Date: 2023. 02. 01. 12:04

According to Péter Bross, president of the National Hungarian Bee Association, most of the honey from third countries is fake, so consumers in the EU would prefer to buy products that clearly indicate the country of origin of the honey.

“The European Union produces half as much honey as it consumes, 220-230 thousand tons of honey must be imported from third countries”

Péter Bross, president of the National Hungarian Beekeeping Association, said on InfoRádio. He noted: there are member countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary or Spain, where beekeepers produce more than what is sold domestically. Hungarian beekeepers produce four times the amount of honey they sell, which should be sold on the EU market.

However, the EU consumer does not know what kind of honey is in the jar. According to the legislation, it is enough for Western European honey exporters to write on the origin of the honey that it is a mixture of EU and non-EU honey, if it comes from more than two countries. Meanwhile, politicians and beekeepers are convinced that if the EU consumer knew that there was EU honey in the bottle, he would definitely choose it over beekeepers from third countries.

Today, all honey consumers know that bees and pollinators are indispensable in our lives, and our only revenue is the sale of honey. According to Péter Bross, if we cannot sell this to the Italian, French, and German outsourcers, the beekeeping industry of the major producing countries will be destroyed.