Mercosur honey imports to EU rise 94% following trade agreement

Honey imports from Mercosur countries into the European Union increased by 94.2% during the first three months of the new trade agreement's application. Between May and July 2026, the EU imported 12,692.51 tonnes, compared to 6,535.59 tonnes during the same period in 2025.

July saw a particularly sharp spike, with imports reaching 6,269.81 tonnes, a 178.9% increase over July 2025. Argentina accounted for over 85% of these imports with 5,343.34 tonnes, followed by Uruguay and Brazil.

The Union of Farmers and Livestock Breeders (Unión de Uniones) has warned that this surge places intense pressure on European beekeepers, who face higher production costs and stricter sanitary, environmental, and traceability requirements than their international competitors. The organization noted that the zero-tariff quota was already exceeded by 152.04 tonnes during its first application period.

Unión de Uniones is calling on the European Commission to closely monitor market volumes and entry prices, requesting the activation of safeguard mechanisms if serious market disturbances occur.