Larger bee honey exports and higher honey prices during the next few years can be ensured by switching over to the production and certification of ecological honey. In an analysis on his blog, economist of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul” Veaceslav Ioniţă said we are witnessing the recovery of a promising branch in Moldova – ecological bee honey, IPN reports.

According to Veaceslav Ioniţă, with the support of the U.S. project High-Value Agriculture, the Moldovan beekeepers will obtain the first certificates for ecological honey in 2019. This means honey exports could double during the next two-three years.

The expert noted the Free Trade Agreement with the EU, the support provided by the Government of the U.S. through the High-Value Agriculture project and the enthusiasm of Moldovan beekeepers are three ingredients needed for a new export market to appear in Moldova – bee honey.

Veaceslav Ioniţă said that before the signing of the Free Trade Agreement with the EU, exports totaled slightly over half a million dollars a year. Things changed when trade with the EU was liberalized and the U.S. Government offered support to Moldovan beekeepers. This way, exports during the past few years grew to US$ 14 million a year.

Almost all the exported honey goes to the EU, with Romania, Italy, France, Slovakia and Germany accounting for 80% of Moldova’s honey exports.