Less volume, more revenue
Ukrainian honey exports fell in physical terms in the first half of the year, but revenue increased because prices rose. Ukraine shipped about 17.7 thousand tons of honey abroad, almost twenty-eight percent less than a year earlier. At the same time, export revenue reached about 61.65 million dollars, nearly sixteen percent higher year on year.
This balance matters for beekeepers and exporters. A smaller crop or lower shipment volume does not automatically mean weaker earnings if demand for quality honey stays strong and prices compensate for the decline in tonnage.
Europe remains the core market
Germany remains the largest buyer, accounting for more than a quarter of Ukrainian honey exports in value terms. France follows with around twenty percent, while Poland holds more than eleven percent. These three markets show that Ukrainian honey is still deeply integrated into the European food supply chain.
The European Union also raised the duty-free quota for Ukrainian honey from six thousand to thirty-five thousand tons per year for 2026-2028. If Ukrainian exporters exceed the quota, they can still sell to the EU, but the shipment will be subject to a seventeen percent duty.
A global niche with investment logic
Ukraine remains one of the world’s most important honey exporters, even after weaker shipments in 2025 and 2026. In 2024, the country ranked third globally by export volume. Buyers include the EU, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Turkey, Qatar and Jordan. For investors, the sector combines rural production, food quality control and export logistics, but it also needs stable processing, traceability and access to premium markets.
