Spanish beekeepers are facing substantial crop losses and rising costs, according to agricultural organisations. The Unión de Pequeños Agricultores y Ganaderos (UPA) estimates production losses for 2026 at between 35 and 80 per cent, depending on the area. On 13 November, the newspaper 20 Minutos reported on the difficult situation and on industry representatives’ warning about incorrectly labelled honey.
On 5 November, the UPA presented an assessment covering eight areas. In the worst-affected parts of Andalusia production reportedly fell by 50 to 80 per cent. The association put the decline at around 50 per cent in Aragon as well as Castile and León and at 50 to 60 per cent in Castile-La Mancha . In Galicia the harvest was 50 per cent below the usual yield, according to the UPA.
These figures are estimates by an interest group, not a definitive official tally for all of Spain. They describe different regions and cannot readily be combined into a nationwide loss rate.
The association attributes the poor harvest to several causes: unfavourable weather, drought and a lack of flowers, as well as diseases and predators. It includes the Varroa mite and the Asian hornet. When natural food supplies are insufficient, beekeepers have to feed their colonies for longer, according to the UPA. This further increases costs.
Diesel, materials and equipment have also become more expensive, the organisation says. Fuel costs hit particularly hard those businesses that transport their hives between different locations. The UPA is therefore calling, among other things, for exceptional direct aid for businesses suffering heavy losses, support with supplementary feeding and access to assistance for commercially used diesel.
Alongside the harvest, the origin of imported goods is also a concern for the sector. 20 Minutos quotes Ángel García Blanco, president of the agricultural association Asaja Extremadura, alleging that Chinese honey is sold via Portugal as a European product. The report substantiates the association representative’s statement, but does not establish that this is common practice or that authorities have confirmed a specific case of fraud. The UPA is calling for more checks and clear country-of-origin labelling, so that buyers can distinguish Spanish honey from imported honey.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).