Commodity Origins

How much honey does China produce and export?

China is the largest producer of honey: 444,800 tonnes in 2024, 24% of the world's 1.8 million tonnes (FAOSTAT). It is the 2nd largest exporter by value: $237.2 million in 2024, 10% of world exports of honey (HS 0409) (CEPII BACI). Its biggest customer is Japan, which takes 25% of its honey exports by value.

All about honey · All about China

China's honey production

China honey production, 2024
World rankProduction (tonnes)Share of worldTen-year growthYear
1444,800 tonnes24%-0.4% a year2024

FAOSTAT Crops and livestock products (QCL), 2024. World total is the sum of reporting countries.

China honey production monthly prices, tonnes, Jan 1961 to Jan 2024Line chart of china honey production monthly prices in tonnes from Jan 1961 to Jan 2024: China honey production from 53,000 to 444,800, peaking at 555,000.0100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000196519701975198019851990199520002005201020152020tonnes
China honey production

Share of world output over time

China's share of world honey production in selected years
19902000201020202024
17%20%26%24%24%

Average annual share by decade: 1960s 8.8%, 1970s 10%, 1980s 15%, 1990s 17%, 2000s 22%, 2010s 27%, 2020s 25%. See the concentration-over-time report.

China's honey exports

China exports of Natural honey, 2024
World rankExport valueShare of world exportsQuantity (tonnes)Average value per tonneYear
2$237.2 million10%167,023 t$1,4202024

CEPII BACI international trade database (HS22, V202601), HS 0409 (Natural honey).

Where China's honey goes

Largest destinations of China's honey exports, 2024
DestinationValueShare of China's exports
Japan$60M25%
United Kingdom$47M20%
Belgium$23M9.7%
Poland$15M6.2%
Netherlands$10M4.1%

Largest five destinations of 3,614 exporter-importer pairs BACI reports for 2024. See trade flows.

China as a buyer of honey

China imported $47.1 million of honey (HS 0409) in 2024, 2% of world imports, ranked #13.

Import dependency · Supplier shifts

How much honey China uses

China's domestic supply of honey was 301 thousand tonnes in 2023, 16% of the world's. Food supply was 0.2 kg per person a year, 77th highest of 142 countries with a million or more people. It produced 147% of what it used (self-sufficiency) and imported 1%. FAO's item is "Honey". Consumption · Self-sufficiency.

Cite as: Commodity Origins, "China honey: production, exports and prices", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/CHN/honey/ (CC BY 4.0). Rankings count only countries reporting to the sources named; this page is shown only for top-five producers or exporters with at least 3% of the world total. Report an issue with this page.