[Image: StockCake]
The world is struggling with a bit of a honey problem and Turkey’s reputation as a massive global supplier is dwindling fast.
Turkey is a heavyweight in the global honey game, churning out a massive 115,000 tons a year. That makes it the world’s second-biggest supplier after China, with Ethiopia, Iran, and India trailing behind.
The country’s honey industry is worth around €270 million a year, with Germany and the US being the biggest buyers. But there’s a sticky problem: fake honey.
Turkey’s honey market is drowning in counterfeits, and no one really knows just how deep the problem runs. Cops have already seized several tons of the dodgy stuff, valued at around €25 million.
One bust in Ankara in September 2024 uncovered 8,150 tons of glucose, fructose, and sugar—plus a casual 100,000 fake labels for various honey brands. That’s not just a little side hustle; it’s a full-blown operation.
Counterfeit honey is often loaded with sugar syrup, but once you throw in artificial flavours, sweeteners, and corn syrup, you’re no longer selling honey—you’re pushing a fraud. And that’s illegal.
Toward the end of 2024, Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture named and shamed 43 producers for selling adulterated honey. Most of these shady operations are based in Ankara, and at least two of them are stocking major supermarket chains.
The industry is fuming. Genuine producers worry Turkey’s name in the international honey trade is getting dragged through the mud. They want the government to crack down with tougher inspections and harsher penalties.
Ziya Sahin, head of the Turkish Beekeepers’ Association, is pointing fingers straight at the Ministry of Agriculture.
“The problem is the lack of regulation. Our beekeepers are angry, and they ask why we’re not doing something to stop it. But we have no authority to inspect,” Sahin told DW. “I’m not even allowed to ask street sellers whether their honey is real or not.
With Turkey set to host the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations this year, Sahin says they’re keeping their global partners in the loop.
“As in other parts of the world, there is counterfeit honey in Turkey. We can’t deny that. But we don’t want Turkey to be known as a paradise for fake honey. We won’t accept that,” Sahin insisted.
The thing is, counterfeit honey is a global issue, industry insiders stress.
“There’s fake honey in China and Europe, too,” said Can Sezen, the managing director of Anavarza Bal, one of the country’s leading honey producers. “It would be unfair to claim that it only affects Turkey. That said, Turks are particularly inventive about such matters.”
Apparently, the fakers are a step ahead. They keep an eye on when government inspections are coming and scale down production just in time to dodge detection.
“You can find these products in every supermarket. The revelations must continue — like the lists released by the ministry. Our population needs to be aware of these fake products,” Sezen said.
And here’s the kicker: fake honey is dirt cheap. A kilo of the real deal costs up to €8 (R150), while the knockoff version sells for just €1.60 (R30). In a country battling high inflation, it’s no wonder many consumers go for the budget option—even if it’s not real honey.
When it comes to exports, customs checks are pretty hit-or-miss. Meaning? There’s a good chance fake Turkish honey is already sitting on supermarket shelves overseas.
“It may be that counterfeit honey is first exported illegally to Arab countries then shipped on to other parts of the world,” Ziya Sahin said.
And the scandal doesn’t stop there. In January 2024, French authorities seized 13 tons of honey laced with Viagra—yes, Viagra. The so-called “erectile honey” was linked to illegal supply chains from Turkey, Tunisia, and Thailand.
The European Anti-Fraud Office’s numbers paint an even uglier picture: nearly half (46%) of all honey imported to the EU in 2023 was fake. When they tested Turkish honey, 14 were fraudulent out of 15 samples.
Long story short—if you’re buying honey, check the label and make sure it’s local. And if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.
[Source: DW]
