Poland Marketing Studies: Honey market in France

The honey consumption in France is 40 000 tons annually and the production is about 15 000 tons. From the beginning of nineties France faces the decrease of number of bee-keepers, apiaries and so the honey production. Main factors are bee's disease and mortality and also low prices due to cheap honey importations. The quality of honey (imported and produced in France) is decreasing.

1. Honey production in France

In France there is 69600 bee-keepers and 1,4 millions beehives. Professional bee-keepers (apiaries of more than 150 beehives) represent 2% of all bee-keepers and assure ¾ French honey production.

Since 20 years the number of apiaries dramatically decrease.

At the beginning of nineties in France, the production of honey was 35000 tons annually. In 2010 the production was only 15000 tons. The country recorded only 15000 tons production. In 2011 the situation got better (17000ton) because of very good weather conditions. Despite the lack of official data for 2012, the year is considered as disastrous. Bad weather during the spring and the summer influenced badly the harvest.

About 35% of honey come from oleaginous plants.

2. Honey importations and exportations

The consumption of honey in France is 40000 tons and remains stable. The demand is satisfied by importations from countries like Spain, China or Argentina.

3. Difficulties on the market

The biggest difficulty on the market in France but also in other countries are diseases and the high mortality of bees and the decrease of production of honey by them. The main reasons are pesticides, antibiotics and other chemicals.

The controls showed that honey (also organic honey) are contaminated by chemicals.

Another problem for French honey market is price dumping from importers from countries like China. French producer sell 1kg of honey for 3 Euros and the honey coming from Asia is sold for 1,5 Euro/kg. The pressure on the prices results in decrease of honey quality.

Sources :

Globalisation du marché du miel, les effets pervers

February 2007 cari.be

La production française de miel

February 2009 agriculture.gouv.fr

Le miel, bientôt un produit de luxe?

March 2009 ecotidien.fr

Programme visant à l'amélioration des conditions de la production et de la commercialisation des produits de l'apiculture

2010-2013 franceagimer.fr

Baisse du prix du miel

MArch 2010 senat.fr

Etiquetage du miel