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2002-2003 Canadian Honey Situation and Trends
Table of Contents
- Overview
- Canadian Situation
- Trade
- United States Situation
- World Situation
- Opportunities and Challenges
- Other Links
- For More Information
List of Tables
- Table 1 - Canadian Honey Production and Value
- Table 2 - Number of Beekeepers, Hives and Yield per Hive in Canada
- Table 3 - Honey Exports by Province
- Table 4 - Honey Exports Markets
- Table 5 - Honey Imports by Major Countries
- Table 6 - Honey Production in Selected Countries
1. Overview
In 2002, the western provinces from Manitoba to British Columbia all lost production due to the drought conditions that prevailed during the crop period. Eastern Canada was mainly the reverse as production was up in all provinces though drought conditions did have some minor effect in Quebec and Ontario. Overall preliminary Canadian production was down 5.9 % from 2001 and down 1 % from the previous five-year average.
Approximately seventy-eight percent of Canadian honey production is concentrated in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba (Table 1). With the presence of good foraging crops such as clover and canola, the long summer days can provide average yields exceeding 100 kilograms per hive. Most of the honey produced is sold in bulk to other parts of the country or exported, with much of it packaged in attractive consumer sized containers.
Beekeeping is practised throughout Canada by nearly 9,000 dedicated producers ranging from large commercial operations to part-time apiarists. For the period 1996 - 2001, the number of hives in Canada has been slowly increasing to reach 602,328 in 2001, though preliminary Statistics Canada 2002 data is showing a slight dip to 585,683. During this same time, there has been a rationalization among commercial beekeepers, with larger operators increasing holdings by buying out smaller operators. The average number of hives per beekeeper has increased by 74 % since 1992, rising from 38 to 66.
To maintain adequate colony numbers, Canadian beekeepers over-winter bees in Canada and supplement with imported honeybee queens from Hawaii and queens and packaged bees from New Zealand and Australia. Canada prohibited the importation of honeybees from the continental United States (U.S.) in 1987. The prohibition has been extended through December 2004 with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reviewing the situation annually to ensure the ban is appropriate. Health concerns relative to the continental U.S. include the introduction/spread of fluvalinate resistant varroa mite, treatment resistant American foulbrood, the small hive beetle and the tracheal mite, as well as the possible importation of Africanized honeybees. Because of the widespread nature of these diseases/pests in the U.S. and in the absence of disease control programs, there is no authority that can certify clean bees for export to Canada. CFIA has completed a risk assessment of the impact of the unrestricted importation of honey bees from the U.S. The Canadian Honey Council will use the results of this assessment to develop a national industry consensus on the importation of queen bees prior to the January 2004 annual meeting in Winnipeg Manitoba. At the most recent (December 2002) annual meeting in Niagara Falls Ontario, it was important to note that recommendations were put forward for limited imports to Canada however Canadian Honey Council delegates passed a resolution recommending to CFIA that the border with the continental U.S. remain closed.
An important by-product of honeybees is their value in pollinating fruit, vegetables and other crops. The value of pollination to Canadian agriculture (the orchard industry for example) is estimated to be worth close to $1 billion per year.
Other by-products of beekeeping include: wax for cosmetics, candles and crafts; pollen as a food supplement for bees and humans; as well as propolis and bee venom which are being researched for their health benefits.
Bee disease and pest management is vital to the future prosperity of the Canadian beekeeping industry. In this regard, the Canadian Bee Research Fund has been set up as a long-term endowment to support bee research. The Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists and the Canadian Honey Council jointly administer the fund.
Canadian pure honey is renowned world wide for its quality and flavour. Most Canadian honey is graded and marketed as Canada No.1 White and produced from white clover, canola and alfalfa. The lighter honey is often used to blend with darker honey to reduce the strong flavour in some honey. All packers must be registered with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency when trading internationally and inter-provincially.
Interesting Facts
Honey is "manufactured" in one of the world's most efficient factories, the beehive. Bees may travel as far as 100,000 kilometres and visit more than two million flowers to gather enough nectar to make just 500 grams of honey.
The colour and flavour of honey differ depending on the bees' nectar source (the blossoms). In fact, there are more than 300 unique kinds of honey in North America, originating from such diverse floral sources as clover, canola, basswood, buckwheat and wildflowers. In general, lighter coloured honeys are mild in flavour; while darker honeys are usually more robust in flavour.
Nutritional Information
Honey is primarily composed of fructose, glucose and water. It also contains other sugars as well trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins and amino acids.
Honey contains a variety of minerals and trace elements in small amounts (0.1 to 1.5 %) depending on floral sources and geographic origin. Two tablespoons (30 ml) of honey contains 25 mg of potassium.
Honey contains trace amounts of vitamins C, B and sometimes A, D and K.
2. Canadian Situation
Production
For 2002, preliminary Canadian honey production (Table 1) was estimated to be 33,296 metric tonnes (mt). The 2001 Statistics Canada revised production was reported at 35,387 mt after reaching the 1998 record level of 46,083 mt. In addition, production in 2002 was still 8 % below the 5-year average production during the period 1997-2001. Alberta retained its title of being the largest producing province, with increasing numbers of colonies estimated at 229,000 colonies versus 2001 of 227,000 hives (Table 2). Drought conditions continued in 2002. In 2002, Alberta had reduced production by 10 % from the previous year, while Saskatchewan produced an estimated 8,618 mt, a decrease of just over 11 % over 2001 of 9,752 mt, Manitoba production was reported at 6,511 also decreasing by 8 % over the previous year's 7,094 figure. Ontario and Quebec witnessed increased production by 8 % and 47 % respectively due to better conditions in comparison to the western provinces.
The total value for 2001 (the most recent year available from Statistics Canada) Canadian honey amounted to $92.9 million, up sharply over the previous 2 years of $70.3 and $69.3, though slightly below the 1998 record of $93.5 million. Producer prices for bulk raw honey from the 2001 crop reached $2.63 per kilograms (kg), up from $2.18 in 2000 and higher than the record 1998 production level of $2.03 per kg. The price of honey has increased on account of a world shortage of honey. It is due in part to drought in major producing areas, loss of Chinese honey from the market caused by antibiotic residue concerns as well as anti-dumping actions against China and Argentina in the U.S.
Alberta accounted for 32.8 % of Canadian production in 2002, followed by Saskatchewan with 25.9 %, Manitoba 19.6 %, Ontario 10.5 %, Quebec 5.5 %, British Columbia 4.3 %, and Atlantic Canada with 1.7 %. The average Canadian yield per hive in 2002 was 57 kg versus the 59 kg in 2001 and considerably below the record 82 kg attained in 1998. Saskatchewan remained the 2002 leader in yield, reaching 87 kg per colony though down from the 98 kg reached in 2001, but almost 53 % above the national average.
Consumption
Per capita consumption of honey for 2001 (the last reported year) was 0.78 kilograms (kg). Previously, per capita consumption for 2000 was at 0.62 kg, 1999 at 0.82 kg and for the record 1998 production year of 1.02 kg.
3. Trade
Canadian Exports Set Record in 2002
Canadian 2002 honey exports increased to a record 21,922 metric tonnes (mt), having increased 72.7 % over the previous year's 12,691 mt. The value of those exports increased to C$87.9 million, a 170 % increase over 2001 at C$32.6 million. The United States remained by far the primary destination in 2002, absorbing 90 % of total exports, followed by Germany with 5 % (Table 3, Table 4). During the five-year period 1997-2001, exports averaged 34 % of annual Canadian production while imports averaged 9 % of Canadian production. In 2002, Canada exported 2.7 times as much honey as was imported.
In 2002, imports were up 56 % over 2001 and up 165 % over the 1997-2001 average. However, 2002 was 61 % of the 1996 record high. Argentina accounted for 71 % of total imports while China only accounted for 14 %, followed by the U.S. with 8 %. Argentina's imports will probably continue to increase in 2003, in response to concerns over antibiotics in Chinese honey. The total value of all imports was C$23.2 million in 2002, up 177 % over 2001 and increasing by 323 % over the 1997-2001 average (Table 5). Some imports of less expensive dark-coloured (amber) honey are utilized in the manufacturing of food products such as cereals.
4. United States Situation
According to the U.S. National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), honey production in 2002 from producers with five or more colonies totalled 77,565 metric tonnes, down 8 percent from 2001. This was the lowest annual production since 1989. There were 2.52 million colonies producing honey in 2002, up 1 percent from 2001. U.S. yield per colony averaged 30.8 kilograms (kg), down 8 percent from the 33.6 kg in 2001.
Colonies that produced in more than one state were counted in each state and yields per colony may therefore be understated. Colonies were not counted if honey was not harvested. Producer honey stocks were reported at 17,690 metric tonnes on December 15, 2002, down 40 percent from the year earlier.
Prices for the 2002 honey crop increased to a record high U.S. $1.29 per pound, up 83 percent from the U.S. 70.4 cents reported in 2001. Of note, that the previous record price was U.S. 88.8 cents recorded in 1996. Prices are based on retail sales by producers and sales to private processors and co-operatives. The main producing U.S. states in 2002 were North Dakota (15 %), California (14 %), Florida (12 %) and South Dakota (7 %). In 2002, the highest state yield per colony was in Hawaii with 61.7 kg followed by Louisiana with 56.3 kg.
In September 2000, the U.S. launched an anti-dumping investigation against imports from Argentina and China. On May 7, 2001, preliminary anti-dumping duties were imposed on all imports from these 2 countries and in November 2001 the final determination of material injury was published.
5. World Situation
The People's Republic of China continued as the world leader in production (Table 6) and by a significant factor in 2002, with an estimated production of 257,800 metric tonnes (mt). The recent Canadian and U.S. anti-dumping actions combined with the finding of antibiotic residues in Chinese honey has and will result in lower exports to these two countries.
Argentina is estimated to have produced 85,000 mt in 2002, up 6.3 % from the 2001 crop of 80,000 mt. The majority of that country's production is exported, with their key markets being the U.S. and Germany, which accounted for 75 % of Argentina's total shipments. Exports to the U.S. were down substantially in 2001 due to the U.S. anti-dumping duty, but exports to Canada jumped dramatically in 2002 to 5,720 mt up 443 % from the 2001 levels of 1,054 mt.
Canada was the ninth largest honey producer in the world in 2002 with 3 % of production.
In 2001, Germany was considered the largest honey importing country in the world at 92,200 mt followed by the United States at 65,749 mt.
6. Oppurtunities and Challenges
The Canadian Honey Council is working towards the development of a national strategy for honey production under the Canadian On Farm Food Safety (COFFS) Program.
There is a growing market for certified "organic" honey and it is expected to increase in the near future.
The rise in the price of honey from the 2002 crop has been a boon to beekeepers with honey to sell, but drought has prevented many Alberta producers from benefiting from the price rise.
Antibiotics found in Chinese honey in early 2002 has caused a world shortage of honey in export markets with the resultant price rise. Canada could benefit from this situation if favourable weather conditions prevail for the 2003 crop.
The number of bee colonies has slowly increased during the last decade to reach a high of 602,328 in 2001. However, the high cost of imported packaged bees and the increased management practices required to control parasitic mites will likely limit industry growth.
Infestation of Varroa parasitic mites is a continuing concern in Canada, but the infestation is not endemic and research is proving beneficial to the industry.
There remains a concern that the insecticide "Imidacloprid" may be responsible for bee losses and the Canadian Honey Council is awaiting longer-term research and surveys to confirm the cause of losses.
Increased global trade is proving to be a benefit to Canadian producers as high quality Canadian honey continues to demand premium prices, but supply will be the problem, especially if the drought continues in parts of the Prairies in 2003.
Asian markets could be considered for high quality, attractively packaged Canadian honey.
GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) is expected to be implemented in the Canadian Honey Grading Regulations to reflect excellent sanitation and quality of products.
7. Other links
- Statistics Canada free publication on honey
- All about Canada's honey industry
- Federal government programs and services
- Canadian Honey Council
- Agri-Food Trade Service
8. Please contact for more information:
Doug Peters
Horticulture and Special Crops Division
Market and Industry Services Branch
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C5
Telephone: 613-759-6231
Facsimile: 613-759-6312
Email: doug.peters@agr.gc.ca
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