Primary requirements

 1. Viable offer to the market

An exporter must offer a quality product of a volume and price that can compete with other honeys in the market place.  Usually honey that is exported is not sold directly by beekeepers into the export market but first consolidated by a processor, honey trader, exporter or co-operative.  These exporters must have the finance, expertise and commitment to engage in honey export and sufficient resources to buy adequate volumes of honey from beekeepers.

In Africa this is the biggest challenge facing the beekeeping industry - not because total production is low, but because it is difficult to efficiently consolidate large volumes ready for export in one place.

2. EU listing as a third country eligible to export honey

For any non-EU country to access EU markets it is essential that the country of origin of the honey has been accepted by the EC as a third country eligible to export honey - and this is achieved through the preparation, implementation and submission of a Residue Monitoring Plan (RMP). National governments must identify a Competent Authority to take responsibility for managing a Residue Monitoring System within the country and submitting a RMP annually to the EU.

Click here for the June 2010 list of 'third countries'.

Click here for more information on RMPs.

In Africa achieving a RMP is not a major obstacle where a Competent Authority is committed to achieving this. In recent years new countries have been listed for the first time such as Ethiopia and Cameroon.

3. Clean honey

The greatest threats to the global honey trade are residues of medicines used to control bee diseases, or other extraneous chemicals.  It is the responsibility of beekeepers to harvest honey that is free from residues and this is dependent on the way they manage the health of their bee colonies i.e. proper apiary management.  

In Africa this is rarely a problem, whereas in many other parts of the world it is the greatest problem. Clean honey is Africa's biggest advantage on the global market!

Secondary requirements