Honey industry concerned over EU ban but hopeful of limited impact

Like other segments of Brazilian agribusiness, the beekeeping sector was also taken aback by the European Union’s ban on animal-origin products, announced on Tuesday morning, May 13. For Renato Azevedo, president of the Brazilian Association of Honey Exporters (Abemel), the requirements imposed by the bloc appear to be more political than technical.

“Brazil is the world’s leading producer of organic honey. So, when people talk about antibiotic use in Brazilian honey, it sounds almost incoherent,” Azevedo said.

According to him, Abemel can rely on certifications proving the absence of antibiotic residues in the product. Even so, he said the requirement is likely to raise costs for the sector, which is a concern for exporters.

EU was seen as an alternative to the U.S. market

Although Azevedo believes technical solutions can be found to reverse the situation, and despite the European Union not accounting for the largest share of Brazil’s honey exports, he said the decision frustrated the sector’s plans. The bloc had been seen as an alternative market amid the tariff measures adopted by U.S. President Donald Trump.

“With this whole tariff issue, we are looking for new markets, and the European Union was the first option. There is a negotiation culture closer to ours, and talks move more smoothly, so that was our main destination at this time,” he said.

According to Azevedo, some exporters are already shipping honey to Europe and are now waiting for further guidance on the issue.

“The measure only takes effect in September, but some exporters have already told us they intend to bring shipments forward so the products arrive in the European Union before then,” he said.

For other shipments, the recommendation has been to wait for negotiations to unfold. “Looking at the global picture, it may seem small. But individually, for each processing facility and exporter, this market is highly relevant. We need to reopen it,” he said.

Sector recalls 2006 embargo

Azevedo recalled that the sector faced a similar situation in 2006, when the European Union suspended imports of Brazilian honey for two years due to a lack of controls over biological residues.

“In this case, we understand that we have all the technical elements needed to prove the product’s quality and compliance. That is the main point that needs to be addressed now,” he said.

According to Abemel’s president, the sector also sees the current situation as being influenced by the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union.

“Brazilian agribusiness has greater scale, productivity and competitiveness, which allows it to offer quality products at lower prices. There is very strong pressure from the European sector because of that,” he said.

Azevedo said the European bloc may be using non-tariff barriers as a form of market protection.

“After the signing of the Mercosur agreement, we understand that some of these measures end up working as indirect trade barriers. It is not exactly a tariff, but it creates difficulties for products entering the market,” he said.

Azevedo also highlighted the instability faced by Brazilian exporters in the country’s two main trading partners. “On one side, we have the United States, with all the uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump’s tariffs. On the other, the European Union is now facing this situation,” he said.

The following breakdown highlights the leading destinations for Brazilian honey exports in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, according to statistics compiled by Datamar:

Honey Exports | Top Destinations | Q1 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Talks with the government

Abemel’s president said the association is in contact with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services to follow the negotiations.

“We are available to help wherever necessary, but we understand this is a moment for dialogue between the Ministry of Agriculture, Itamaraty and European authorities,” he said.

Source: Globo Rural

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