The Romanian honey crop was literally destroyed by the drought

In addition to poor yields, Romanian beekeepers also have to deal with counterfeit honey. (Photo: Pixabay)

The specialist said that 2015 was considered the best year, when the crop in Romania reached 32 thousand tons. This year’s expected 12-13 thousand tons does not exceed 45 percent of the multi-year average. According to his estimate, beekeepers’ expenses will increase by 40 percent, which will be reflected in the price of honey. He complained that Romania exports little honey this year, and that they cannot increase the price on the domestic market because there is still stock from previous years’ harvests, and, according to the president of the association, counterfeit honey arrives unchecked from Ukraine and South America.

Ioan Fetea said that the government in Bucharest should give farmers a minimum subsidy of 20 euros per colony of bees to cover their losses. Romania produces an average of 22,000 tons of honey per year, making it the fourth largest producer in Europe. According to statistics, there are 40,000 registered beekeepers who keep 1.47 million bee colonies.

MTI