Honey Production Statistics 2026: U.S. & Global Output, Prices & Imports
Honey is one of the world's oldest traded commodities and remains a multi-billion dollar global market in 2026. The United States produces approximately 150–170 million pounds of honey per year but imports far more than it produces — making it the world's largest honey importer by value. China dominates global output, producing nearly 30% of the world's honey supply. Understanding honey production statistics is essential for beekeepers optimizing hive productivity, buyers evaluating supply chains, and researchers tracking pollinator and land-use trends. This page compiles verified statistics on U.S. honey production, global output, average prices, import data, and leading producing countries from USDA NASS, FAO, and USDA Foreign Agricultural Service sources.
U.S. Honey Production
USDA NASS publishes annual honey production data from operations with five or more colonies. Hobbyist production is not captured in official totals.
North Dakota is consistently the #1 U.S. honey-producing state, contributing approximately 30–35 million pounds in strong production years, followed by South Dakota, Montana, California, and Florida. — USDA NASS Honey report, 2023
The number of honey-producing colonies in the USDA NASS survey (operations with 5+ colonies) was approximately 2.67 million in 2022 — representing the colonies that produced commercial honey crops. — USDA NASS Honey report, 2023
U.S. Honey Prices
Honey prices at the farm (beekeeper) level and retail level have diverged significantly over time, partly due to import price pressure and partly due to growing premium market segments.
Manuka honey commands premium prices of $30–100+ per pound at retail depending on UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) rating, making it one of the highest-value honey types globally. — Comvita / UMF Honey Association, 2024
Certified organic honey retails for a 25–45% premium over conventionally produced honey on average in U.S. markets, reflecting consumer willingness to pay for provenance assurance. — Organic Trade Association / USDA AMS, 2023
U.S. Honey Imports & Trade
The U.S. imports significantly more honey than it produces domestically. Import volume has grown steadily as domestic production has declined and consumer demand has risen.
India is the largest supplier of honey to the United States by volume, followed by Argentina, Vietnam, Brazil, and Ukraine. These five countries account for an estimated 75–80% of total U.S. import volume. — USDA FAS GATS, 2023
Honey adulteration (dilution with cheaper sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup or rice syrup) is estimated to affect a significant share of imported honey. A 2011 study by Texas A&M found 76% of store-bought honey had pollen filtered out — making origin tracing impossible. The FDA has since updated import monitoring protocols. — Vaughn Bryant, Texas A&M, 2011; FDA Import Alert 36-07
The U.S. has imposed antidumping duties on honey from China since 2001, ranging from 26% to 188%, after price investigations showed Chinese honey was being sold below cost to undercut domestic producers. — U.S. Department of Commerce / International Trade Commission, 2001–2023
Global Honey Production
Global honey production has grown substantially over the past three decades, reaching record levels in recent years — though distribution is heavily skewed toward Asia.
Asia produces approximately 45–50% of the world's honey, Europe approximately 20%, and the Americas approximately 15%. Africa and Oceania account for the remainder. — FAO FAOSTAT, 2023
Top Honey Producing Countries
FAO data ranks the world's top honey producers by annual output. China's dominance is driven by both Apis mellifera and Apis cerana colonies, plus a large number of managed hives.
Other major producers include Ukraine (~70K MT), Russia (~65K MT), India (~60K MT), the United States (~70K MT), Mexico (~60K MT), and Brazil (~45K MT). Combined these top ten countries produce approximately 65% of the world's total honey supply. — FAO FAOSTAT, 2023
New Zealand produces a comparatively small volume (~20,000 MT) but is disproportionately influential in the premium market due to Manuka honey exports, which generate over NZ$350 million (roughly USD $210 million) in export revenue annually. — New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries, 2023
Honey Types & Market Segments
The honey market has diversified significantly as consumers seek specialty, raw, and certified products. Premium segments command substantial price premiums over commodity honey.
Raw and minimally processed honey accounted for an estimated 34% of U.S. honey retail sales by value in 2023, up from approximately 18% in 2015 — reflecting a strong consumer preference shift toward less-processed foods. — SPINS Natural Channel / Mintel, 2023
Clover honey remains the most widely produced U.S. varietal, accounting for an estimated ~40–45% of domestically labeled varietal honey production. Other major varietals include wildflower, orange blossom, alfalfa, buckwheat, and tupelo. — American Honey Producers Association, 2023
The U.S. certified organic honey market has grown at approximately 8–10% CAGR since 2018, though the vast majority of certified organic honey sold in the U.S. is imported, primarily from Brazil and Mexico. — Organic Trade Association, 2023
Per-Hive Production Benchmarks
Honey yield per hive varies dramatically based on geography, forage quality, colony strength, management practices, and weather conditions.
North Dakota beekeepers regularly achieve state-average yields of 90–100+ lbs per colony in strong honey years, roughly double the national average — reflecting the state's exceptional clover and wildflower forage. — USDA NASS Honey report by state, 2022
In contrast, heavily urbanized states and regions with fragmented forage (such as Florida and California in non-orange-blossom periods) see averages of 30–45 lbs per colony. — USDA NASS state honey statistics, 2022
Global per-hive averages from FAO data show significant variation: Chinese operations average approximately 50 lbs per colony, European operations average 24–40 lbs, and New Zealand Manuka-producing hives may yield as little as 5–15 lbs of Manuka honey due to short bloom windows — but at extremely high per-pound value. — FAO FAOSTAT / UMF Honey Association NZ, 2023
HiveMindGuide. (2026). Honey Production Statistics 2026: U.S. & Global Output, Prices & Imports. Retrieved from https://hivemindguide.com/stats/honey-production-statistics-2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How much honey does the United States produce each year?
The United States produces approximately 150–170 million pounds of honey annually from commercial operations tracked by USDA NASS. In 2022, production was 158 million pounds with a farm-level value of approximately $875 million. This is significantly below the peak production levels of the 1990s, which reached approximately 220 million pounds.
Which country produces the most honey in the world?
China is by far the world's largest honey producer, generating approximately 480,000 metric tons annually — roughly 25–30% of global production. Turkey and Iran rank second and third. The United States ranks in the top 10 globally but produces far less than China in absolute terms.
Why does the U.S. import so much honey?
U.S. domestic production meets only about 25–30% of total consumer demand. Imports from India, Argentina, Vietnam, Brazil, and Ukraine fill the gap. Lower labor costs in exporting countries allow imported honey to be sold at prices that often undercut domestic producers, and the U.S. food industry consumes large volumes for processed foods — demand domestic producers cannot easily scale to meet given persistent colony losses.
What is the average honey production per hive?
The U.S. national average is approximately 55–60 pounds per colony per year based on USDA NASS data. However, this varies widely by region: North Dakota beekeepers regularly achieve 90–100+ lbs per colony, while urban beekeepers may see 20–40 lbs. First-year colonies typically produce little or no surplus as they establish.
What is the current price of honey per pound in the United States?
Farm-level (wholesale) honey prices averaged approximately $2.55 per pound in 2022 per USDA NASS. At retail, conventional honey typically sells for $4–7/lb, varietal or raw honey for $6–12/lb, and premium products like Manuka can command $30–100+/lb depending on certification rating.
Get weekly beekeeping research from HiveMindGuide
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.