A German beekeeper has deplored a “lack of awareness” for the efforts of himself and his peers as he considers raising the price of honey.
Andreas Klein from Duisburg in North Rhine-Westphalia currently charges nine Euros (GBP 7.80) for a 400-gramme honey jar.
But speaking to the Rheinische Post, Andreas said he was forced to demand more in the coming season.
The 60-year-old leisure-time apiarist explained: “If I evaluate everything economically, I’d have to ask for 18 Euros (GBP 15.60).”
Andreas claimed he would not introduce such a massive price hike only because it would scare off his clients. He said most people would simply head to the nearest supermarket to buy a glass of honey for less.
Andreas – who started beekeeping eight years ago and currently manages seven colonies – criticised: “There’s a lack of awareness among customers for all the effort.”
However, Andreas also underlined he was cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season.
He told the Rheinische Post: “Things are looking good as far as the weather is concerned. It has been rainy recently. Plants benefit from wet weather when it comes to producing pollen.”
In 2022, each resident of Germany consumed an average of 800 grammes of honey.
There are more than 149,000 beekeepers in Germany. The vast majority engage in apiculture just as a hobby. Last year, they managed nearly 990,000 colonies.
