Andrew
Trade Focus
Allan Majuru
AN increase in chronic illnesses such as diabetes worldwide has challenged the global food industry to embrace better substitutes for oils, starches and, more specifically, sugar.
Health-conscious consumers now opt for natural sugars such as honey in place of artificial sweeteners.
This has seen a surge in demand for honey, whose uses extend beyond the kitchen table, making it a very important source of income for many economies.
This presents numerous opportunities for Zimbabwean producers.
Honey is considered a rich source of antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals. It is now extensively applied in industries like pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and manufacture of personal care products. Apiculture, or beekeeping, is the practice of keeping and/or studying honey bee colonies in hives by individuals or communities. In Zimbabwe, it can be traced back to the 18th century based on studies of rock art by historians.
The industry has grown remarkably, with more communities embracing the practice, which has provided alternative sources of income and helped pollinate trees.
A lot more communities are encouraged to adopt apiculture as it requires relatively low investment. It has good returns especially for women and the youth.
Current local production is still low, yet the multi-billion-dollar global honey industry presents opportunities for the country.
To cover the production gap, ZimTrade is working with local producers in developing capabilities for exports, which will help in positioning Zimbabwe as a favoured supplier of unique honey and honey products.
Current efforts are also being channelled towards establishing honey export clusters across provinces where there is potential to grow exports.
The product
Honey is a natural sweetener produced by bees using nectar from flowering plants.
It ranges from water-white to dark brown or black in colour. It has many variants, but the most common are acacia, alfalfa, buckwheat, clover honey and wildflower based on the type of nectar used to produce it.
There are more than 300 monofloral honey types around the world, and while the above listed are highly popular types, wildflower honey has the highest market share of all variants and its demand is projected to grow exponentially over the next decade. It is usually consumed in raw or processed form, and various terms are frequently used to describe honey in trade, which include raw, pure, organic and unfiltered. For businesses looking to venture into honey production, there is need to correctly identify these types honey as this matters in international markets.
Pure honey refers to honey without any other added ingredients.
Whilst at times other ingredients like corn syrup may be added to honey to reduce costs in industrial use, pure honey does not have any and is sold in its purest form. Raw honey is also a form of pure honey but differs in that it has not undergone pasteurisation through heating and so preserves naturally occurring nutrients and enzymes.
Organic honey refers to honey produced from the pollen of organically grown plants, and those chemicals are not used in treatment of bees. Unfiltered honey has undergone heat processing to remove small particles and is no longer considered pure.
Honey Production
Our climate lends itself well to apiculture, as tropical weather allows for bees to thrive.
For one to start a beekeeping project, they need a place with flowering plants such as crops, indigenous forests or plantations, as well as good water supply. Where temperatures are too high, beekeepers must ensure there are trees within the vicinity to help cool down hive temperatures. Two types of hives are commonly used in Zimbabwe — a Kenyan top bar hive and a Langstroth beehive.
A standard Kenyan top bar hive comes with a lid on a zinc sheet and a metal stand or hanging wires, and can be purchased from local suppliers from between US$35 and US$40. It can be useful for up to 15 years with yield of up to 15kgs of combed honey per year.
A Langstroth hive ranges from US$80 to US$100 and gives between 8kgs to 10kgs of pure honey per super, which is the box used for collecting honey. One hive can have as many as five to seven supers depending on availability of forage (pollen and nectar).Currently, a kilogramme (kg) of combed honey is bought at between US$1,50 to US$2,50 depending on grade, taste and colour. A kg of processed pure honey ranges from US$3 to US$8 (wholesale) depending on market, availability and other factors.
It is also critical to note that honey fetches higher prices if its properties have been analysed and its benefits and nutritional properties stated.
Zimbabwean honey is in demand because it is organic, as no chemicals are approved to be used on our bees by the Government, but there needs to be documented evidence to illustrate this when courting export markets.
Global honey industry
More than half the world’s honey production comes from the Asia-Pacific region, with China traditionally being the world’s largest producer by tonnage, accounting for almost 30 percent of world production.
Global trade in natural honey has seen a notable increase, particularly in the recent past owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, having grown from US$2,4 billion in 2017 to US$2,7 billion in 2021. Top exporters are New Zealand, China, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Ukraine, India, Spain, Vietnam, Hungary and Mexico.
In 2021, top exporters of natural honey (HS Code 0409) were New Zealand, exporting over US$327,2 million worth of honey, followed by China (US$260 million).
The total global honey market is forecasted to grow from US$8,2 billion in 2021 to US$11,9 billion in 2028.
Leading importers of the sweet delight include United States, Germany, Japan, France and the United Kingdom.
In terms of what potential exporters are likely to get, price per tonne of honey in 2021 ranged from US$1 800 to US$23 667 depending on the type and market.
Some of the most expensive honey comes from New Zealand, which produces a unique type of honey called manuka honey from myrtle tree mostly found in that country and Australia. This special honey is said to cure digestive ailments, including acid reflux and fungal infections, and is said to help alleviate upper respiratory issues such as allergies, sinus issues and sore throats.
With its innumerable indigenous trees and forests, there are opportunities for local producers to research and develop niche types of honey unique to Zimbabwe and to prove their unique qualities to fetch high prices.
Market considerations
European consumers prefer highly innovative food products with new flavours which must be low calorie, natural and healthy. They also pay keen attention to food safety issues and sustainable trade and are wary of the implications of GMO products.
Many importers in Europe currently demand honey with a GMO-free certificate in addition to other requirements.
Honey exported to Europe must comply with specific EU honey legislation directive (EC) 110/2001 (amended by Directive 2014/63/EU regarding honey label requirements), as well as the maximum residue levels (MRL) for residues and general EU food legislation with respect to food safety and traceability.
An organic certification helps markets favour honey and labels stating this may need to be backed by documented proof.
Allan Majuru is ZimTrade’s chief executive officer
Online Reporter