Main points
- In Ukraine, honey prices are rising to $3 per kilogram due to a weak harvest.
- The industry faces challenges such as bee poisoning and the spread of the varroa mite, which complicates honey production.
Honey prices are low / Photo Pixabay
Ukraine is experiencing an unstable situation on the honey market due to a weak harvest and a sharp increase in prices. The industry faces a number of systemic problems that complicate its development.
Prices are rising amid a weak harvest
The current season has been atypical for Ukrainian beekeepers: production volumes have decreased, and prices have skyrocketed, AgroPortal reports. According to beekeeper Oleksiy Melnichenko, the cost of honey now reaches about $3 per kilogram, while in the summer it was just over $1 per kilogram.
Such dynamics indicate serious market instability, which makes forecasting difficult for producers. At the same time, even despite the increase, honey prices in Ukraine often remain below the economically justified level, which reduces the attractiveness of the industry.
The industry faces systemic problems
Key challenges for beekeeping include bee poisoning by plant protection products, poor communication between farmers and beekeepers, and the spread of the varroa mite, which is becoming increasingly resistant to drugs, making it more difficult to control and increasing the risks to apiaries.
To improve the situation, market participants are trying to establish cooperation: special groups are being created for the prompt exchange of information about field processing. This allows reducing risks for bees and partially stabilizing the industry.
Pay attention! Despite the difficulties, experts emphasize: without systemic changes in approaches to bee protection and coordination between market participants, the situation will remain tense.
How much does honey cost in Ukraine?
The price of honey in Ukraine in 2026 depends on the variety and volume, averaging 300–450 hryvnias per 1 liter (about 1.4 kilograms). Acacia honey remains the most expensive (up to 500+ hryvnias per liter), while cheaper options, such as sunflower or mixed grass , cost from 130–150 hryvnias per 1 liter or 200–250 hryvnias per 1 kilogram.
Average prices for honey:
- Acacia: 450 hryvnias per liter;
- Lime: 430 hryvnias per liter;
- Buckwheat: 420 hryvnias per liter;
- Miscellaneous grass/Sunflower: 150 – 330 hryvnias per liter;
- Cream honey: about 208 hryvnias per kilogram.
Bees did not survive the winter: what is happening in apiaries and what will be the prices for honey?
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This year's winter has caused a mass death of bees, particularly due to thaws and sharp temperature fluctuations, which has affected apiaries across the country.
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Beekeepers are forced to restore bee colonies, which causes additional costs, and the outlook for honey prices remains uncertain.