Argentine Beekeepers' Magazine

(Espacio Apícola, April 1st, 2024) The price of Argentine honey in the US continues to fall. The recent report of the USDA rectifies the missing information of the previous and reveals significant data on the price paid for Argentine honey, that of other supplier countries and that of the American beekeepers themselves also.

Clearly the "organic" honey from Brazil and Uruguay apparently certified by the same German company raises suspicions. They could not sell it in Europe due to quality problems. Some Brazilian exporters admit that they process honey with dehumidification systems which is why it is considered adulterated or because it has levels of glyphosate that are not compatible with the European market. Neither of the two causes would be a problem to sell the honey in the United States, which stopped publishing honey adulterated events in the import alerts more than two years ago (Import Alert 36-1). On the other hand, buying that "organic" seal also coming from India in the United States would be advantageous for marketing the product between poorly educated consumers and, as we have already explain in detail, this drags down the prices of conventional honey, even though many of these are of better quality than that offered as organic. (see: La Miel Orgánica Brasileña y el Mercado Estadounidense en Espacio Apícola 140 -subscribe to access-).

The fall in domestic honey prices in the United States
There has been a year-on-year drop in prices paid to US beekeepers by the local industry that ranges between 20 to 30%, which is reflected in these varieties that we have been able to compare in the first two months of 2023 and 2024.

Bloom	Highest price per kg - Feb 2023	Highest price per kg - Feb 2024	Variation
Clover	6,16 USD/kg	4,95 USD/kg	-20%
Alfalfa	5,74 USD/kg	4,40 USD/kg	-24%
Canola (white)	5,74 USD/kg	4,40 USD/kg	-24%
Brazilian pepper	5,94 USD/kg	3,98 USD/kg	-30%
Spurge	5,74 USD/kg	3,98 USD/kg	-30%

Average prices of Argentine honey sold to the United States during February 2023 and February 2024 according to its color

Color nane & Pfund scale	Average price USD/mt Feb 2023	Average price USD/mt Feb 2024	Variation
White - 0 a 34mm	3615,93 USD/mt	2323,70 USD/mt	-35%
Extra Light Amber - 35 a 50mm	3547,21 USD/mt	2290,40 USD/mt	-35%
Light Amber - 50 a 85mm	2422,31 USD/mt	1881,35 USD/mt	-23%

On these prices the buyer pays insurance, freight, port expenses in the United States and anti-dumping duties.

Top prices paid by US companies for organic honey

Country	Price USD/kg Feb-2023	Price USD/kg Feb-2024	Variation
Brazil - organic honey	4,36 USD/kg	3,43 USD/kg	-22%
India - organic honey	-	1,52 USD/kg	-
Uruguay -organic honey	3,30 USD/kg	2,29 USD/kg	-30%

On these prices the buyer pays insurance, freight, port expenses in the United States and anti-dumping duties on Brazilian and Indian honeys only. Uruguayan honey is not punished in the US.

Data from the respective Honey Market Reports of the US Department of Agriculture.