The Labeling of Honey in Spain and Its Impact on Local Producers

Encouraged by the rays of the sun, some bees emerge from their hives and break the silence with their buzzing. “My father took me to the hives since I can remember,” recalls Iván del Río in an oak grove on the outskirts of Madrid. This 38-year-old beekeeper from Salamanca shares that 2018 was very tough for Spanish producers, displaced by the massive influx of foreign honey at bargain prices. However, it ended on a positive note: the Ministry of Agriculture has agreed to modify the labeling to make it mandatory to indicate the country of origin of the honey.