Middle East & Africa Apiculture Market Outlook, 2031

Market Drivers

• Soaring Global Honey Demand:Global honey production reached 1,894 thousand tonnes in 2023, with Africa recording the highest growth rate worldwide. The continent now contributes 12 percent of global production at 223,000 tonnes annually. Rising international demand for natural sweeteners, particularly from premium markets in Europe and the Middle East, creates consistent export opportunities.
• Government-Led Sector Transformation:Saudi Arabia's MEWA has committed to establishing 11 queen bee breeding stations nationwide, with seven new facilities under construction in 2025 and operations commencing in 2026. South Africa's Department of Agriculture is advancing a National Beekeeping Strategy alongside disease management and residue monitoring plans. The Abu Dhabi government's initiative granting select beekeepers controlled access to government woodlands represents a strategic public-private partnership model.

Market Challenges

• Environmental Degradation and Habitat Loss:Desertification, shrinking natural pastures, and climate change threaten both bee populations and floral diversity across the region. In South Africa, honey production today is only about 30 percent of what it was in the 1980s in some areas, as commercial beekeepers must feed bees artificial nutrition because natural forage is insufficient. Minister Steenhuisen warned that "when the land stops flowering, bees go hungry, colonies weaken, and honey yields decline.
• Import Dependency and Market Vulnerability:South Africa produces only 2,500 tonnes of honey annually, meeting just half of domestic demand. The shortfall is met through imports, mostly from China, as well as Zambia, India, Poland, and Yemen. Over 80 percent of South Africa's imported honey comes from China. This dependency creates vulnerability to international price fluctuations and quality concerns, with the government announcing inspections to remove adulterated honey from stores.

Market Trends

• Scientific Breeding and Genetic Innovation:ADAFSA's decade-long breeding programme has produced a locally adapted Emirati bee hybrid with 96 percent survival rates, replacing the previous 90 percent summer mortality. Saudi Arabia's MEWA is implementing queen rearing and artificial insemination programs across 11 stations to improve local strain traits and reduce dependence on imported nucleus colonies. South Africa's two indigenous species the Cape Honeybee and African Honeybee underpin the country's apiculture industry.
• Organic Certification and Premium Market Access:Saudi Arabia's first certified organic honey producer, Mughrabi Apiaries, exemplifies the shift toward premium positioning. The government facilitates participation in exhibitions like BIOFACH Saudi Arabia, with organic producers allowed to participate free of charge through the Organic Cooperative Society. Ethiopia's beeswax often shows low pesticide contamination, positioning African beekeeping uniquely to benefit from organic and fair-trade niche markets.