Despite a harsh winter that “wiped out” half of the bee colonies on many farms, the 2026 season is still yielding a decent harvest for beekeepers - albeit at significantly higher prices than last year.
Serhiy Papka, owner of the “Papkina Pasika” brand, told AgroPortal about this, as reported by Dengi.ua.
Why the Spring Honey Harvest was Used to Restore the Bee Colonies Rather than for Sale
According to the beekeeper, most colonies emerged from winter weakened, and some did not survive the cold spell at all. Therefore, the first spring harvest - rapeseed honey - was largely set aside not for sale, but to help the bee colonies restore their numbers and strength.
How Much Do Different Types of Honey Cost This Season?
Despite the limited quantity, they still managed to sell some of the rapeseed honey - at 280 UAH per liter. The situation with acacia honey was worse: due to the ongoing hostilities, beekeepers were physically unable to reach regions with abundant acacia nectar sources, and the cold weather further damaged the harvest, driving the price up to 450 UAH/liter.
Linden honey was harvested in the usual volumes, and its price settled at 370 UAH/liter. Beekeepers have not yet begun extracting sunflower honey, but are already expecting prices in the range of 260-290 UAH/liter.
Why Honey Prices Have Risen Compared to Last Year
Papka cites several reasons for the price increase.
- First, the calculation base has changed: the wholesale price ranges from 110 to 200 UAH/kg depending on the variety, and one liter of honey weighs 1.4–1.5 kg.
- Second, the cost of fuel needed to transport beehives has risen significantly.
- Third, moving the apiary between different nectar sources now carries additional risk due to the farm’s proximity to the border and military operations.
How Much Has the Bee Population Declined Since Winter?
The most alarming part of the beekeeper’s story is the condition of the bee colonies themselves. After overwintering, their numbers dropped significantly, and although the population has recovered somewhat since the start of the season, it has not yet reached pre-war or even last year’s levels.
According to Papka’s estimate, roughly half of the farm’s colonies did not survive last fall and winter. The beekeeper attributes this mass die-off to the possible poor quality of treatments for varroasis - a parasitic disease that remains one of the main threats to bees.
