Classified as a non-
timber forest product in many African countries,
honey is an important source of income for rural communities. On World Bee Day — established by the United Nations in 2017 and observed annually on May 20 — data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) shows Africa remains a major producer but a minor player in global trade.
13% of Global Production
Africa produced 255,111 tonnes of natural honey in 2024, according to FAO data. That represented about 12.63% of global output, estimated at 1.98 million tonnes, making Africa the world’s fourth-largest producing region behind Asia, Europe and the Americas.
The ranking reflects the rapid expansion of beekeeping in East Africa, which has driven much of the continent’s production growth. The sub-region alone accounts for four of Africa’s top five honey producers.
Ethiopia remains by far the continent’s largest producer. Output reached nearly 86,000 tonnes in 2024, according to FAO estimates. The Ethiopian agriculture ministry says the country has more than 10 million beehives, including around 7 million in active use, and has adopted a national strategy for the sector for 2024–2032.
Tanzania ranked second with around 32,000 tonnes of production, followed by Angola (23,400 tonnes), Uganda (21,635 tonnes) and Kenya (19,462 tonnes). Other producers contributing on a smaller scale include the Central African Republic, Morocco, Rwanda, Madagascar, Senegal, Algeria and Egypt.
Less Than 1% of Export Revenues
Despite its strong production base, Africa remains a minor player in global honey trade. According to the FAO, the continent exported 5,605 tonnes of honey in 2024, worth $14.2 million. Global exports, by comparison, totaled around 828,000 tonnes and generated nearly $2.3 billion over the same period.
Experts say exports remain limited because the sector is still dominated by traditional production systems and constrained by certification barriers, weak processing infrastructure and fragmented supply chains. Major importing markets such as the European Union also impose strict quality standards.
Export buyers generally prefer large and consistent supply volumes, requiring producers to organize into groups or cooperatives to build reliable supply chains.
“Due to lack of knowledge and training, and because of poverty and the absence of modern processing infrastructure, it is difficult for beekeepers to meet the hygiene and quality levels required for commercial sale. The dispersed nature of production and processing among different beekeepers makes quality control difficult, if not impossible,” the FAO said in a 2023 information paper.
African honey nonetheless benefits from relatively low contamination levels. According to the FAO, the product contains limited traces of heavy metals and antibiotic residues because more than 80% of production comes from communal areas where agrochemical use remains limited and bee treatment practices are uncommon.
As global demand for natural and traceable products rises, better organization of the sector could help improve quality standards and allow African producers to capture more value from international markets.
