Argentine apiculture is undergoing important changes due to different circumstances occurring in world trade in the last time: the prohibition of importing Chinese honey for more than two years established by the European Union; the detection of different types of residues in honey of different origin, from Argentina, among others, and the new requirements associated with the food quality, among other relevant points. This situation generated a price increase at the beginning of the 21st Century which is now trying to establish a new balance point. In addition to these factors, the Argentine devaluation process generated some competitive advantages, and there was a dramatic modification in the cost structure and marketing system.

THE PRODUCT

“Honey is the food product made by honeybees from flowers’ nectar or from the secretions of living parts of plants or from the excretions of sucking insects that remain on the plants surface, that bees collect, transform, combine with specific proper substances and store and let mature in the beehive combs” (Resolution GMC 15/94).

PRODUCTION

• Honey world production is about 1.3 million tons. Six countries concentrate 50% of the total. In the last decade, there has been a slightly growing tendency. Asia is the main producing continent, followed by Europe and America in the third place.

Honey production per continent - 2004

• By mid 1990s the Argentine production experienced a notorious expansion, increasing 40% in only five years. The present average is about 78,000 tons per year. The maximum production value was in 1999 with a total volume of near 100,000 tons. It was of 80,000 tons in 2004. The perspectives for 2005 are not very encouraging, as it is expected a harvest similar or slightly inferior to the previous one.
• The estimated production value is US$ 200 million.
• The Argentine product is widely recognized by its organoleptic properties and because the quality standards (humidity, HMF, residues, etc.) are under the requirements of the most demanding countries. Furthermore, the incorporation of Traceability systems in aviculture is increasing the positive image of our product.

TRADE

• The main honey importing countries in the world are Germany, the USA, Japan, United Kingdom and Italy, representing over 60% of the total sold. These countries are also important consumers of apicultural products. They are demanding as to quality and highlight the importance that it is a health-care product. Therefore, they request that honey should enter free from antibiotic and agrochemical residues or with sanitary certificates guaranteeing not only the product, but the hives where the honey is coming from.
• World exports are around 350 thousand tons. Argentina participates with just over 20% of the total, taking the second place as exporter, after China, and escorted by Mexico, which is in the third place. Argentina competes with China for the price and with Mexico for the quality. .

• Argentina exports slightly over 92% of its production. 98% of the product is sold in bulk, without differentiation. Only 2% is exported fractioned. The export value in 2004 amounted to US$ 123 million.
• The main destinations were Germany, followed by the USA, Italy, England and Spain. Some of the countries that appear as potential markets are South Africa, Finland, Arabian Countries, Indonesia, Ecuador, Australia and Norway. There has been an important increase in the number of export destinations and in their share.
• In 2004, the sales of fractioned honey reached 500 tons, for about 1.5 million Dollars.
• Argentina has a high potencial to export other beehive products. In 2004, wax sales were US$ 850 thousand. US$ 60,000 of propolis and US$ 35,000 of live material were also exported. Argentina has very well identified areas for pollen (North West – Cuyo) or for propolis production (Delta – North East). They are products of very high value added that are demanded by miscellaneous industries (food, pharmacy, cosmetics), markets not yet developed by our country.
• The honey rate position is Nº 04090000. It has differential export duties: 5% for fractioned honey and 10% for honey in bulk. Reimbursements are 0%.
• In the first quarter of 2005, foreign sales reached US$ 31 million and 24,000 tons, a volume 111% higher than such of the same period in 2004. As regards fractioned honey, more than US$ 300,000 have been already sold.
• In 2004 the exports were directed by 105 companies. Concentration has been one characteristic: 70% of sales was carried out by 10 companies. .

RAW MATERIALS

• The activity is developed by around 28,000 beekeepers who have 3,500,000 beehives. The last information available from the RENAPA (National Registry of Apiculture Producers) provides a total of 26,000 registered producers and a little over 3 million beehives).

• As regards the labor employed, it is basically a secondary or complementary activity. There are about 60,000 people employed in the sector. During the harvest, many temporary workers are hired totaling a number of around 90,000 employees.
• The average national yield is between 30 and 35 k/hive/year. In some areas the harvests average 60-70 k/hive/year, similar to the highest in the world. The province of Buenos Aires concentrates more than 50% of honey production, but apiculture has been extended to the rest of the provinces. A characteristic of our productive system and weather is the possibility of obtaining different types of honey differentiated by their geographic or botanical environment.
• Argentine honey is valued all over the world due to its organoleptic and physico-chemical properties, being demanded for direct consumption and by the most demanding markets. An item that is becoming more relevant is the use of honey by the food industry (biscuits, bread products, snacks). Presently, the companies require a higher quality of honey, mainly for manufacturing of biscuits and bread products.
• The apiculture chain actors are adopting different quality management systems, in order to safeguard the product made, according to the standards required by buying countries.
• The National Government together with the provincial governments and with different entities associated with the activity, form the National Apiculture Council coordinated by SAGPyA. The political proposals of the sector are therein devised in order to improve the whole chain competitiveness.

CONSUMPTION

• Argentine consumption is very low (180-200 g/inh./year) if compared to such of Japan, the USA or Germany, which in some cases exceed the kilo per capita. In the world, consumption has a slightly growing tendency due to the greatest demand registered in some traditional markets and to the incorporation or growth of others. Countries such as Lebanon, Arabia, Oman and Syria, for instance, have experienced a dramatic expansion in the past years, mainly because in these destinations honey is associated with some religious feasts. The average world consumption is 220 g/inh./year.
• In Argentina the domestic market has little development, mainly due to the lack of a consumption habit, but there is a change in the tendency related to the increase in the sale of natural and healthy products, beneficial for health.

REGULATIONS

• Código Alimentario Argentino. Resolution 15/94 GMC MERCOSUR and amendments (86/99). Defines the product and sets quality characteristics..
• Resolution SENASA Nº 455/95. Creates the sanitary plan in the Centre of the country.
• Resolution SENASA 220/95. Regulates honey extracting, collecting and fractioning plants.
• Resolution SAGPyA 274/95. Regulates the classification of honey by botanical origin.
• Resolution SAGPyA Nº 111/96. Sets the regulations for the operation of laboratories certifying the botanical origin of honey.
• Resolution SAGPyA 121/98. Sets the characteristics of containers for export.
• Resolution SENASA 233/98. Sets the obligation of implementing the BPM for all food processing industries.
• Resolution SAGPyA 530/2000. Creates the Apiculture Consulting/Counselling Committee.
• Resolution SAGPyA Nº 270/00 and amendments (Res. SAGPyA Nº 451/01). Sets the conditions to produce organic honey.
• Resolution SAGPyA Nº 283/01. Creates the National REgistry of Apiculture Producers (RENAPA) and sets its obligation.
• Resolution SENASA Nº 353/02. Sets the characteristics of honey extraction rooms.
• Resolution SENASA Nº 535/02. Sets the requirements for moving live material.
• Resolution SENASA Nº 186/03. Sets the traceability system for the apiculture sector.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bolsa de Cereales de Buenos Aires- SAGPyA-USDA-INDEC- Cámara de Exportadores de la República Argentina-INTA- PROAPI- Fundación Export Ar- Ministerio de Agricultura de Buenos Aires (MAGyAL)-Gobiernos provinciales- FAO-SENASA-Infoleg-Diagnóstico de la cadena alimentaria de la miel (SAGPyA, 2003). Maestría de Agronegocios y Alimentos OMC (página web). National Honey Board. Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA). Página web de la Unión Europea.- Revista Vida Apícola (varios números).

ENTITIES AND CHAMBERS

Cámara de Exportadores de la República argentina (CERA). Av. Roque Sáenz Peña 740, 1er piso, Buenos Aires – contacto@cera.org.ar – http://www.cera.org.ar
Cámara de Industriales de Productos de Alimenticios (CIPA). Córdoba 1345, 9º piso, Buenos Aires.– cipaexterior@fibertel.com.ar – http://www.cipa.org.ar
Federación Argentina de Cooperativas Apícolas (FACAP). Maipú 267, 18º piso, Buenos Aires. facap@fibertel.com.ar
Sociedad Argentina de Apicultores (SADA). Av. Rivadavia 717, 8º piso, Buenos Aires. informes@sada.org.ar – http://www.sada.org.ar