Exports of Ukrainian honey will decrease by 10-20% this year

This was said by Beehive CEO Semen Gagarin in an interview with Delo.ua.

According to him, the main factors of influence were the increase in the cost of logistics, rising fuel prices and the temporary loss of certain export markets due to the aggravation of the situation in the Middle East.

So, now it is much more expensive to form a batch of products, as it is necessary to collect honey in different regions.

At the same time, the cost of shipping a container to Qatar has increased from $7-8 thousand to about $20 thousand, and the transportation time has increased from 45 to 90 days. In this regard, deliveries to this destination have been suspended for the time being.

«If markets such as Qatar or the UAE fall out, they cannot be quickly replaced by others», — Semen Gagarin noted.

According to his estimates, the loss of about 100 tons of exports is not critical in terms of physical volumes, but it is of strategic importance, as these are solvent markets.

Till the new harvest, which is expected in August, there is a temporary shortage of honey on the market, which is already affecting export volumes and prices.

Semen Gagarin predicts that in 2026 Ukrainian beekeepers will collect 60-80 thousand tons of honey, as in 2023-2024.

He recalled that in 2025 honey exports amounted to 50 thousand tons per year.

«In 2026, we expect the overall decline in exports to be at the level of 10-20%, to 40-45 thousand tons per year. At the same time, with the beginning of the new season, approximately from August to September, the situation should gradually stabilize», — he said.

The European Union remains the main market, accounting for 90-95% of exports.