Deirdre Tynan
‘FAKE’ products from China are decimating Cordoba’s honey industry, farmers have warned.
The produce from the far east – which is often mostly rice or corn syrup – is being imported at much cheaper prices, making local products less competitive and cutting beekeepers’ profits by half.
Lorenzo Ruiz, the head of the beekeeping sector of the Union of Farmers in Cordoba, said the amount of honey produced in the province is down 40% to 50% percent compared to last year and described the situation as ‘fatal’.
“We cannot compete. Not a kilo has been sold, so the warehouses are full. Multinationals are bringing products from other countries, mainly China, which already accounts for 80% of the honey consumed in Spain,” Ruiz said.
The price of Cordoban honey has fallen from €3.80 or €4.50 per kilo to just €2.20 per kilo while Chinese honey costs between 80 cents and €1.10 per kilo.
Around 300 families in Cordoba supplement their income with beekeeping and there are 432 farms with 58,000 hives generating revenue of about €2 million per year.
