Geovana Pagel*
São Paulo – Brazil is currently the seventh largest honey producer and exporter in the world. This position was reached in less than a decade. The product is one of the examples of diversification of Brazilian agriculture, which already sells 200 items on the foreign market. In 2004 honey exports exceeded US$ 43 million. In terms of volume, the total was 21,400 tonnes, i.e., 47.5% of the yearly production of 45,000 tonnes.
In recent years, Brazilian apiculturists have lived their best moment. In 2001 China, the largest honey producer in the world, with 275,000 tonnes per year, was prohibited from exporting due to the strong presence of pesticides in the product. Another important factor for the conquest of the foreign market was the quality of the Brazilian honey, produced mostly in native areas and free of the use of pesticides.
"We have honey of colours and flavours for all tastes. Our product ranges from brighter to darker and from weaker to stronger aromas," explained Joail Humberto Abreu, president of the Brazilian Apiculture Confederation (CBA). According to him, around 70% of the domestic production is of wild honey. "We have 173 catalogued honey plants. For this reason, diversity and quality are our differentials," pointed out Abreu.
With the return of China to the market, in August last year, however, Brazil did not manage to maintain the rhythm of growth of foreign sales. From January to April 2004, Brazil exported 8,700 tonnes, which generated US$ 20.4 million. In the same period in 2005, exports totalled just 3,300 tonnes, equivalent to US$ 6.6 million. This is a significant reduction in terms of volume and revenues. However, due to the quality of the Brazilian honey, one of the paths shown by the CBA is prospecting new importer countries.
One of the markets considered favourable is the Arab. Last year the countries in the League of Arab States imported 50,000 tonnes of honey from China. "More than double our exports," explained the president of the organization. According to Abreu, Brazilian honey may already be consumed in the Arab market. "As we export very much to Germany and the honey is shipped in bulk, it is certainly then bottled and shipped to the Arab market," he explained. In 2004, Germany was the main importer of Brazilian honey, a position the country had lost to the United States in 2002, but which was reached again in 2003.
Now the intention is to come closer to the countries in the Middle East and North Africa. For this the organization should seek the support of the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (Apex) and of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB). "We must present our products and also all the technology there is in Brazil. We are open to the Arab businessmen who want to learn about our honey production," he guaranteed.
Opportunities and income
Apiculture may also be considered an excellent option for diversification of cultures and for the generation of income for farmers, mainly in the poorest regions of the country, as is the case of the North and Northeast.
According to the president of the CBA, between 2002 and 2005, jobs were generated for 150,000 people, guaranteeing greater opportunities in the interior and thus avoiding the rural exodus by many families. Apart from providing incentives to production, regional association and cooperatives were created for the honey to be traded.
In three years, northeastern Brazilian states like Piauí, Maranhão, Ceará, Pernambuco and Bahia developed apiculture and now compete with southern Brazilian states like Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina for the position of main honey producers and exporter in the country.
The state of São Paulo is still responsible for the largest volume of honey exported by Brazil as it concentrates the shipping of many states, including some from the North and Northeast of the country.
Contact
E-mail: jhrabreu@hotmail.com
*Translated by Mark Ament
