Some Sweet Taste and Thought about a Country Crossing so Many Challenges Internally and Internationally if not also Regionally while it is the Heart of the African Union and the Most successful in Keeping its Independence during the time when Africa was the target of all occupations and invasions.
Africa Case – Study: Honey in Ethiopia
Here is To Bee Ethiopia with the Maker of Sweet Honey and Wax of the Bee
Ethiopia is also the fourth largest beeswax producer in the world after China, Turkey, and Argentina.
Ethiopia is also the continent’s leading producer and exporter of beeswax and honey. The country has approximately 7 million bee colonies.
Ethiopia is the largest honey producer in Africa, producing around 45,300 tonnes annually. However, the country’s potential annual production is estimated to be 500,000 tonnes of honey and 5,000 tons of beeswax. This gap is due to the country’s traditional production system, which results in low productivity.
Ethiopia has three honey production systems:
- Traditional: Forest and backyard
- Transitional: Intermediate
- Modern: Frame beehive
Modern beekeeping is mostly practiced in the central highland and southwestern areas of Ethiopia. Popular systems include Zander, Langstroth, and Dadant.
Beekeeping is a long-standing agricultural practice in Ethiopia. It is a major component in the agricultural economy of developing countries. Beekeeping has been and still plays a significant role in the national economy of the country as well as for the subsistence smallholder farmers.
In 2018, Ethiopia produced 50,000 tons of honey This was produced by more than one million beekeepers, who maintained more than six million bee hives.
Generally, beekeeping is an old agricultural practice in Ethiopia. About one million households are involved in the honeybee’s business.
Ethiopia’s honey is known for its desirable qualities such as low moisture content and a variety of natural and delicious flavors.
Some challenges to honey production in Ethiopia include:
Lack of beekeeping knowledge
Shortage of trained manpower
Bee behavior: Swarming and absconding behavior of bees
Shortage of beekeeping equipment
Pests and predators
Pesticides: Increasing use of pesticides on farming land, inappropriate use of pesticides, and sublethal exposure to pesticides
Inadequate research and extension services
Bee forage: Limited availability of bee forage, especially water during droughts
Infrastructure: Poor infrastructure development
Credit: Lack of credit access
Financial: Financial problems
Input costs: High input costs
Climate change: Climate change hazards like flooding and droughts
Beekeeper safety: Theft and vandalism by humans
Some factors that could improve honey production in Ethiopia include:
Modern hives
The southwestern part of Ethiopia, has dense natural forests, appropriate environmental conditions, and different species of flora and fauna
Over the past 26 years, the average amount of honey produced per hive in Ethiopia is 8.3 kilograms. Traditional beehives produce between 5 and 8 kilograms of honey per colony per year. Modern hives can produce up to 60 kilograms of honey per hive.
The amount of honey produced per hive depends on several factors, including: Colony strength, Environmental factors, Bee forage availability, Hive type, Beekeeper management.
The most common way for beekeepers to make money is by selling honey. A single hive can produce 50–100 pounds of honey per year, which can sell for $5–$20 per pound. Raw honey is in high demand globally.
Other products from the hive include: Wax, Propolis, Royal jelly.
Beekeepers can also make money by renting out their bees for pollination services. Some beekeepers earn a full-time income from this alone. To do this, they need a lot of equipment, beehives, and experience.
Ethiopia Honey in the Global Market
Ethiopia is the largest producer of honey in Africa, accounting for 23.6% of the continent’s total production. However, Ethiopia only accounts for 2.9% of global honey production. This is due to differences in production methods.
Ethiopia is also the fourth largest producer of beeswax in the world.
In 2022, the average price of honey exports from Ethiopia was $3,555 per ton. The average price of honey imports into Ethiopia was $2,181 per ton. The global honey market was valued at $8.58 billion in 2021. It is expected to grow to $12.9 billion by 2030.
The United States is the world’s leading importer of honey. In 2022, the US imported $794 million worth of honey from other countries.
China is the world’s largest market for honey. In 2021, China produced over 472,000 metric tons of honey, which is almost five times more than the second-largest producer, Turkey.
The main buyers of Ethiopian honey are:
Germany, United Kingdom, Sudan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Yemen.
The main buyers of Ethiopian beeswax are: Germany, Japan, United States, United Kingdom, Italy.
Global Honey Market and Producers
The global honey market was valued at $9.3 billion in 2023. It’s expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4% from 2024 to 2032.
China is the leading country for honey production. In 2021, China produced about 500,000 tons of honey, which is a quarter of the global honey output.
Here are some other estimates for the global honey market:
- 2022: $8.9 billion
- 2021: $8.58 billion
- 2020: $8.17 billion
- 2017: Peak production of 1.88 million metric tons
Most of the world’s honey comes from domesticated beehives. The top five honey producers are China, Turkey, Argentina, Ukraine, and the United States. These five countries produce 1.2 million metric tons of honey annually.
Here are some of the top honey-producing countries:
China – The world’s largest honey producer. China has many honey bees and a variety of plants.
Iran – Produces about 77,000 tons of honey each year.
Turkiya – Produces 96,344 tons of honey. Turkey’s Black Sea region produces a rare and expensive honey called “Elvish honey”.
New Zealand – The country with the highest dollar value of honey exports in 2021. New Zealand is the sole distributor of Manuka honey.
Honey is a source of vitamins, minerals, calcium, and antioxidants. It’s also used to nourish bee colonies.
This is not professional financial advice. Consulting a financial advisor about your particular circumstances is best.
For Insights and Business Intelligence on Honey Sector in Ethiopia or in other countries, please send an email of interest to: info@triconsultingkyoto.com
