Honey

Honey is the thick, supersaturated sugar solution produced by bees to feed their larvae. It is composed of fructose, glucose and water in varying proportions and also contains several enzymes and oils. The color of honey varies due to the source of nectar and age of the honey. Light colored honeys are usually of higher quality than darker honeys. The average honeybee colony can produce more than 700 pounds of honey per year but only 10 percent is usually harvested by the beekeeper. The rest of the honey is consumed by the colony during the year. American per capita honey consumption is 1 pound per person per year. Honey is said to be humanity’s oldest sweet, and beeswax was the first plastic.

Honey is used in many ways, including direct human consumption, for baking, and as medicine. Honey has several healing properties. Its high sugar content nourishes injured tissues, thus enhancing faster healing time. Honey’s phytochemicals create a form of hydrogen peroxide that cleans out the wound, and the thick consistency protects the wound from contact with air Honey has also proven superior to antibiotic ointments for reducing rates of infection in people with burns.

Prices – US average domestic honey prices in 2001 rose to 70.4 cents per pound from the 7-year low of 59.7 cents posted in 2000. The value of US honey production in 2002 was $222 million, up sharply from $132 million in 2001.

Supply – World production of honey in 2000, the latest reporting year for the series, rose +1.4% to 1.241 million metric tons from 1.224 million metric tons in 1999. World honey production has been stable in the 1.0-1.2 million metric ton range over the last 15 years. The world’s largest producer of honey by far is China with 256,000 metric tons of production in 2000, representing 21% of total world production.

US production of honey in 2002 fell –7.7% to 171.1 million pounds from 185.5 million in 2001, and was sharply below the recent 9-year high of 220.3 million pounds posted in both 1998 and 2000. Stocks in 2002 (Jan 1) fell to a 22-year low of 39.0 million pounds from 64.6 million pounds in 2001. The drop in production in 2002 was mostly due to a sharp decline in yield per colony to a 12-year low of 67.8 pounds per colony, down from 74.0 in 2001 and 84.1 pounds in 2000. The number of colonies in 2002, however rose +0.7% to 2.524 million.

Trade – The US imports almost as much honey as it produces, with imports in 2001 at 145.0 million pounds, down from 198.5 million pounds in 2000. US exports of honey are small and totaled only 7.4 million pounds in 2001, accounting for only 4% of US production.