French honey gives rise to a double paradoxical reality: a constantly increasing demand and a national production in decline for two decades. This observation leads France to import nearly 35,000 tons of honey annually, raising concerns about the quality and authenticity of these imports. Faced with this situation, this article explores three essential axes: the need to revive French beekeeping, the crucial implications of pollination for our food, and finally, the underexploited richness of the variety of French honeys. Let us dissect why consuming and buying French honey is becoming an essential issue, involving the preservation of our beekeeping heritage, our food security and the economic potential linked to this honey diversity.
Honey from France: an update on consumption
France has an annual consumption of around 40,000 tonnes of honey, equivalent to 600 grams per person, which places our country among the largest consumers in Europe. Only 25% of the French population has never tasted honey. The West region stands out by being in the lead for consumption per capita. In addition, honey consumption is experiencing a slight increase in France.
The production
While the demand for honey continues to increase every year in France, the opposite situation occurs in terms of production. In fact, over the last 20 years, honey production has been reduced by two thirds in France. The main honey producers in the country are those who manage 400 hives, representing approximately 38% of French honey producers. They are followed by producers with between 150 and 400 hives (26%), then by those with between 50 and 150 hives (11%). Honey production in France is heavily concentrated in the south, particularly in the Occitanie region, which contributes 22% of total honey production in France. Despite the diversity of honey varieties present in the country, with approximately forty types recorded, French producers only manage to produce 20,000 tonnes per year, or half of national consumption.
The import
Faced with the decrease in honey production recorded in recent years in France, the country is forced to import honey to meet the growing demand. Thus, each year, France imports an average of 35,000 tons of honey, mainly from Ukraine and Spain, followed by Germany, Argentina, and finally China. However, this practice carries risks. According to a study by the European Union published in 2015, more than 30% of the 1,200 imported honeys were considered fraudulent, not meeting the French criteria for obtaining the "honey" designation. Some producers resort to practices such as adulteration, consisting of mixing honey with industrial syrup, or artificially feeding the bees with sugar during the harvest. French beekeepers believe that the sector is underexploited despite the wealth of honey varieties in France, but production is unable to keep up with demand. However, awareness of French know-how is growing, and the tendency to favor French products is increasing.
So why consume French honey?
1. To revive French beekeeping
French beekeepers, faced with various obstacles, are struggling to significantly increase their honey production. The beekeeping sector is in decline, marked by increasing losses of livestock from year to year. This massacre is caused by multiple factors: the presence of diseases and predators such as the varroa parasite, viruses, fungi and bacteria, as well as disturbances to their environment, namely the use of pesticides, changes in landscapes, the reduction in biodiversity and the emergence of new predators. Particularly dramatic cases have recently been reported, particularly in Brittany, where some beekeepers are said to have recorded losses exceeding 80% of their livestock between 2017 and 2018. The current challenges are to raise consumer awareness of the challenges of honey production in France and to offer beekeepers a source of diversification for their sales.
2. To maintain our pollination potential
30% of our food in France depends on pollination by domestic bees of the species Apis mellifera. Whether in China, Israel, Pakistan or the United States, the production of apples, melons and almonds is facing serious pollination problems, leading to a significant decrease in yields. A global crisis with multiple causes is looming, and France is also at risk of suffering the consequences. Preserving healthy beekeeping in France is not simply a question of selling or buying honey; it is a much broader issue linked to the world's food supply.
3. For our great wealth of honey
Thanks to its multiple terroirs, France enjoys a wide variety of honeys. The mountainous reliefs, the deciduous and coniferous forests, the hedgerows and wet meadows, the Mediterranean landscapes, as well as the large flourishing cities constitute all terroirs allowing beekeepers to produce polyfloral spring or summer honeys, offering a characteristic quality and taste. The diversity of French agricultural and forestry productions also offers beekeepers the possibility of producing monofloral honeys such as Acacia honey, Chestnut honey, Linden honey, Buckwheat honey, Sunflower honey. With more than 40 varieties of honey, France has something to satisfy demanding amateurs looking to buy honey for its flavors or its benefits. However, this exceptional potential remains underexploited, and we are missing the opportunity to create many sustainable jobs.
The commitments of La miellerie
At the honey house, you have access to honeys and honey-based products designed with commitments to respect tradition and the environment. We are also committed to ensuring certified traceability for consumers.
The story of our bees
While bees play a crucial role in the pollination process and are essential players in biodiversity, they are today threatened; we are committed to pampering and protecting them.
We practice pastoral beekeeping or transhumance of bees which consists of moving our hives from one region to another, several times during the year in order to allow our bees to benefit from the different blooms which allows us to vary the harvests and the types of honey. We respect their tranquility and their rhythm of life by carrying out transhumance at night only.
We are always looking for the best terroirs for the development of our bees, terroirs that are passed down from generation to generation. To do this, we pay attention to the environment, the composition of the soils and the floral areas on which we install our hives. We practice so-called sustainable beekeeping by ensuring that each of our bees has the necessary comfort they need to forage.
After having gathered what nature has given them, it is time for the bees to deliver their wealth. Honey is a pure and natural product. Used since antiquity, it is considered a truly sacred food. We are committed to respecting the product throughout its processing. A crucial step, the harvest time is carefully chosen. The capped combs are harvested one by one, the honey is then cold extracted. It is then filtered, packaged and stored in a dry place. Before being potted, the floral origin and purity of our honeys are checked to ensure its traceability.
The Perronneau Family
The Perronneau family is one of the oldest families of beekeepers in France. The genesis of this 5-generation saga begins in Auxois in 1890 where the Pechinot family, traveling distillers part of the year, practiced a side activity of passion: beekeeping.
It was the latter that finally won out, and he launched the family's beekeeping business with around a hundred hives.
Their daughter and son-in-law, Gabriel Perronneau, took over the business 30 years later and expanded the livestock to nearly 1,000 hives.
The Perronneau family embodies an exceptional beekeeping heritage that has crossed the ages with passion and dedication. The honeys of the Miellerie, true ambassadors of the delights of nature, reveal the rich and complex history of the bees that forage throughout the seasons. Each jar of honey is the fruit of know-how passed down from generation to generation, rooted in the preservation of the natural balance and respect for beekeeping traditions.
The honey house will introduce you to products such as:
- Nearly 45 single-flower varieties of honey which can vary according to the seasons and climatic hazards (in our regions , in France and around the world )
- 17 Gingerbread Recipes
- 10 varieties of nonnettes (6 different fillings)
- 13jams
- More than 20 varieties of candy
- And many other discoveries...
To learn more about the honey house and our history, please read our article on the Perronneau family.
