Calabria is one of Italy's leading regions for the number of hives and produces various honeys…

Calabria is one of Italy's leading regions for the number of hives and produces various honeys including citrus, sulla, chestnut, eucalyptus, and wildflower. However, early heat, drought, off-season rains, and increasingly unpredictable flowering are transforming beekeeping there.

As of June 2026, Calabria had 159,067 hives across 2,184 beekeeping enterprises and over 7,000 apiaries. The region produces about 2,300 tons of honey annually, ranking third nationally in hive numbers, second in commercial hives, and fourth in production volume. Approximately 95% of honey is sold commercially, with professional operations larger than the Italian average, indicating beekeeping is a significant economic activity rather than a hobby.