Shocking! Honey might run out in Hungary in early 2021

Even though there are twice as many bee colonies now as there were 30 years ago, beekeepers were only able to produce just as much honey as they did three decades ago. According to Péter Bross, the representative of the Hungarian Beekeepers Association, this means that the price of honey is going to rise steeply.

Bross Péter was the guest of Inforádió’s Aréna programme and gave an interview about the dire situation. This year especially, far less honey was produced in Hungary, but the situation seems to be the same in all of Europe. Buying the honey directly from beekeepers or producers could cost 2,500-2,700 forints (~€7.5-8) per kilogram of acacia honey, while mixed flower honey could cost around 2,000 forints (~€6) for each kilogram. Péter added that these are just estimates and that prices can greatly vary depending on supply and demand in each region.

“Those who know exactly what value they took from their hive might go over 3,000 forints (~€9) per kilogram for their acacia honey. Other types of honey are typically between 2-3,000 forints (~€6-9).”

He explains that beekeepers have plenty of expenses to account for when determining the price of a jar of honey. Although it is possible for store-bought honey to cost the same as a jar from a local producer, it is likely that it will cost much more. The VAT is much higher when you buy from stores, and the shop owner has to have some profit as well. This could shoot up consumer prices of acacia honey as high as 4,000 forints (~€12).