FAKE HONEY UNDER SCRUTINY, DOMESTIC PRODUCERS RECEIVE GREATER SUPPORT

The production of domestic honey is of exceptional importance for agriculture in the Republika Srpska, and additional support for the sector will come through a nearly 50 percent increase in subsidies for beekeepers, confirmed Darko Marković, President of the Association of Beekeepers’ Organizations of Republika Srpska.

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He stated that the increase in incentives will be provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska, thereby recognizing beekeeping as an extremely important branch of agriculture.

“A major step forward has been made, and we hope that subsidies will continue to grow in the future in order to reduce the imbalance compared to other agricultural sectors,” Marković said after the Assembly session held in East Sarajevo.

Fight Against Fake Honey

Marković emphasized that it is crucial to detect and sanction those selling counterfeit honey on the market, as this directly threatens domestic producers.

“Together with the Ministry, we will work on projects aimed at strengthening the capacity of our laboratories, which would help us combat fake honey and unfair competition,” he stressed.

He warned that domestic honey must not remain unsold while honey of questionable quality is being imported, reminding that counterfeit honey is a global issue and is present on the world market in significantly larger quantities than genuine honey.

“In Republika Srpska, honey of top global quality can be produced, and we must raise consumer awareness to encourage the purchase of domestic products,” Marković said, as reported by Glas Srpske.

Education of New Beekeepers

The opening of an educational apiary in Doboj was also announced, along with a botanical garden of honey plants, where young beekeepers would receive training, given that the average age of current beekeepers is around 60.

Regarding production, Marković noted that last year was extremely challenging due to drought and a cold spring. During the winter of 2024/2025, nearly 40 percent of bee colonies were lost, resulting in about 10,000 fewer hives in 2025 compared to the previous year.

However, this winter the situation is significantly better.

“Bees are wintering better, and we expect losses of up to 10 percent, which is acceptable. If the season is at least average, we could make up for the previous losses,” Marković said.

Beekeepers: Unfair Competition a Major Problem

Darko Babić, a member of the “Roj” Beekeepers’ Association from East Sarajevo, warned that fake honey causes enormous problems for beekeepers, in addition to the existing challenges of producing organic and pure honey.

“There is an import of various honey counterfeits that not all laboratories can properly detect. Citizens buy honey according to their financial capabilities, and since the price of genuine honey has increased, they are purchasing smaller quantities than in previous years,” Babić said.

A similar view was expressed by Goran Nešković from the “Glasinac” Beekeepers’ Association in Sokolac, who noted that last year on the Romanija plateau was not favorable in terms of honey yields, as everything depends on weather conditions.

He recalled that subsidies from the relevant ministry are granted to beekeepers with 30 or more hives, while those with fewer hives receive support from the Agrarian Fund of the City of East Sarajevo and local communities.

“Most beekeepers have regular customers and generally manage to sell their honey, but store shelves are full of fake honey. Local communities, inspections and relevant ministries must join the fight against this issue through clearer regulations and legal solutions,” Nešković concluded.

At the Assembly session, members discussed the financial and activity reports for the previous year, as well as the work plan and financial plan for the current year. The Association brings together 52 beekeeping organizations from Republika Srpska, representing nearly 90 percent of beekeepers in the entity.