RSS
Romania exports 80% of the honey production obtained in ecological system
Romania exports 80% of the honey production obtained in ecological system, the main markets being Germany and Northern countries, Daniela Rebega , the councilor of the Ministry of Agriculture declared on Friday for Agerpres at the National Honey Fair. “ Unfortunately 3,500tones of 80% of the honey production obtained ecologically in 2010 was exported to Germany and Northern countries, where the largest honey consumption is registered,” Rebega said.
She pointed out that for 2011, she estimates a honey production of at least 5% higher than in 2010, when both the number of producers recorded in the system and the number of bee families grew.
“The number of Romanian beehive growers registered an increase from 867 in 2010 to 297 last year, while the number of bee fsmilies reached 106,525 last year compared to 98.100 families in 2010,” the MADR councilor explained. Most producers are from Mures -104, with 14,000 families and from Brasov -11,500 families.She added that EU support could be granted for conversion to the ecological system from overall funds granted by EU to ecological agriculture.
“Last year people benefitted from 378,000 euro out of 3 million euro allocated to ecological agriculture in Romania, but we requested an increase of the amount from Brussels ,” she pointed out.
Ecological honey should include the EU seal, the country’s leaf and code and prices between 20% and 100% higher than the honey obtained in conventional system.
In Romania the first certified producers in ecological honey production have been recorded since the year 2000, recording an annual growth from 132 in 2005 to 335 in 2006, 584 in 2008, besides 15 processors, 22 retailers , an importer and 8 exporters.
While in 2000 Romania produced only 6 tons of ecological honey, in 2005 it was 610 tons, in 2008 2300 tons and in 2009, 3200 tons.