Rising to a series high
Global Honey Production moved from 1,820 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 1,988 Thousand Tonnes in 2024 (+9.2%), an average of +1% a year. The series high was 1,988 Thousand Tonnes in 2024 and the low 1,820 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
What Global Honey Production shows
Global Honey Production was 1,988 Thousand Tonnes in 2024, up 1.4% on 2023. Global honey production demonstrated a steady upward trend between 2015 and 2024, reflecting the continued expansion of beekeeping activities, improvements in apiculture practices, and growing demand for natural honey across domestic and international markets. Global production stood at approximately 1.82 million tonnes in 2015 and increased to 1.86 million tonnes in 2016.
A 8.4% peak-to-trough swing
The gap between the series high (2024) and low (2015) is 167.5 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +2.8% in 2022.
China leads among 27 countries covered
Of the 27 countries in this dataset, China, India and Turkey have the highest values in 2024 (444.8, 146, 95.49 Thousand Tonnes respectively).
Country ranking
Honey Production by country, 2024
Thousand Tonnes. Sort by any column, or search for a country.
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| Rank↕ | Country↕ | Share of top | Thousand Tonnes↕ | vs 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 444.8 | −4% | |
| 2 | India | 146 | +39% | |
| 3 | Turkey | 95.49 | −16.9% | |
| 4 | Iran | 80.25 | +2.9% | |
| 5 | Argentina | 69.30 | −0.6% | |
| 6 | Brazil | 67.31 | +4.9% | |
| 7 | Russia | 65.46 | +1.5% | |
| 8 | U.S. | 60.96 | −3.6% | |
| 9 | Mexico | 57.43 | −1% | |
| 10 | Ukraine | 53.49 | −7.6% | |
| 11 | Canada | 35.46 | −18.3% | |
| 12 | Spain | 33.18 | +21% | |
| 13 | South Korea | 31.22 | +2.9% | |
| 14 | Vietnam | 25.46 | +3.6% | |
| 15 | Italy | 21.86 | −0.8% | |
| 16 | France | 20.03 | −16.6% | |
| 17 | Thailand | 11.68 | +2.1% | |
| 18 | Taiwan | 11.22 | +0.2% | |
| 19 | Australia | 10.98 | −3.3% | |
| 20 | UK | 10.09 | +2.2% | |
| 21 | Colombia | 6.33 | −4.1% | |
| 22 | Saudi Arabia | 5.78 | −0.9% | |
| 23 | Israel | 3.80 | +8.6% | |
| 24 | Egypt | 3.78 | −1.5% | |
| 25 | Japan | 2.64 | 0% | |
| 26 | Finland | 2.30 | +27.8% | |
| 27 | South Africa | 1.08 | 0% |
By region
Honey Production by region
Thousand Tonnes, 2024. Each bar is that region's total.
Full series
Global Honey Production by year
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Year | Thousand Tonnes | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024Peak | 1,988 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 1,959 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 1,943 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 1,891 | −1.8% |
| 2020 | 1,925 | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 1,903 | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 1,856 | −1.2% |
| 2017 | 1,879 | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 1,863 | +2.4% |
| 2015 Trough | 1,820 | — |
Data definition
Inclusions and exclusions
Honey Production — Honey production refers to the annual quantity of natural honey harvested from managed honeybee colonies through beekeeping activities. It represents the total output of honey collected by beekeepers during a specific period and is used as a macro indicator to assess the scale, productivity, and performance of the apiculture sector. The indicator measures honey production volumes across countries and regions, helping analyze long-term production trends, agricultural contributions, and developments within the global honey industry.
Honey production includes the total quantity of natural honey obtained from commercial, small-scale, and traditional beekeeping operations. It covers honey harvested from different floral sources and produced through managed honeybee colonies, including output intended for food consumption, industrial use, and commercial markets. The indicator accounts for annual production volumes reported in tonnes or thousand tonnes, reflecting the overall performance of the honey-producing sector within a country or region.
Honey production excludes processed or value-added honey products such as flavored honey, blended honey products, and honey-based food items, as the indicator measures only raw honey output. It does not include honey imports, exports, consumption, retail sales, or market value. Other beekeeping products such as beeswax, royal jelly, and propolis are excluded, along with artificial honey substitutes and production losses occurring during processing, storage, or transportation.
About this indicator
Honey Production — Honey production refers to the annual quantity of natural honey harvested from managed honeybee colonies through beekeeping activities. It represents the total output of honey collected by beekeepers during a specific period and is used as a macro indicator to assess the scale, productivity, and performance of the apiculture sector. The indicator measures honey production volumes across countries and regions, helping analyze long-term production trends, agricultural contributions, and developments within the global honey industry.
The upward trend continued in 2017, with production reaching 1.88 million tonnes, before experiencing a slight decline to 1.86 million tonnes in 2018. This temporary decrease was influenced by climatic variability, environmental conditions, and fluctuations in honeybee colony productivity across major producing countries.
From 2019 onwards, global honey production resumed its growth trajectory. Output increased to approximately 1.90 million tonnes in 2019 and further expanded to 1.92 million tonnes in 2020, reflecting improvements in beekeeping efficiency and sustained production in major honey-producing regions. Although production declined slightly to 1.89 million tonnes in 2021, the sector recovered, reaching 1.94 million tonnes in 2022, 1.96 million tonnes in 2023, and approximately 1.99 million tonnes in 2024, representing the highest production level during the observed period. Overall, global honey production increased by around 9% over the decade, highlighting the resilience and long-term growth of the apiculture industry.
The global honey industry is supported by commercial, cooperative, and small-scale beekeeping operations across diverse climatic regions. Honey production plays a vital role in agricultural sustainability through pollination services, improving crop productivity, and generating rural employment. Growing consumer preference for natural sweeteners, expanding export opportunities, and awareness of honey’s nutritional benefits have further strengthened industry development.
From a macro indicator perspective, global honey production reflects a stable and expanding agricultural sector with strong growth potential. Continued investment in sustainable beekeeping practices, protection of pollinator populations, climate adaptation measures, and technological advancements will be essential to maintaining production growth and ensuring the sustainability of the global honey industry.
- Indicator
- Honey Production
- Region
- Global
- Unit
- Thousand Tonnes
- Coverage
- 2015–2024, annual
- Category
- Agriculture
- Last updated
- July 2026
- Source
- Our World in Data
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Frequently asked questions
What is Global Honey Production?
Honey production refers to the annual quantity of natural honey harvested from managed honeybee colonies through beekeeping activities. It represents the total output of honey collected by beekeepers during a specific period and is used as a macro indicator to assess the scale, productivity, and performance of the apiculture sector. The indicator measures honey production volumes across countries and regions, helping analyze long-term production trends, agricultural contributions, and developments within the global honey industry.
What was Global Honey Production in 2024?
Global Honey Production was 1,988 Thousand Tonnes in 2024, up 1.4% on 2023.
How has Global Honey Production changed between 2015 and 2024?
Global Honey Production moved from 1,820 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 1,988 Thousand Tonnes in 2024 (+9.2%), an average of +1% a year. The series high was 1,988 Thousand Tonnes in 2024 and the low 1,820 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
Which year had the highest and lowest Global Honey Production?
The highest value was 1,988 Thousand Tonnes in 2024 and the lowest was 1,820 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
What does the Global Honey Production data include and exclude?
Included: Honey production includes the total quantity of natural honey obtained from commercial, small-scale, and traditional beekeeping operations. It covers honey harvested from different floral sources and produced through managed honeybee colonies, including output intended for food consumption, industrial use, and commercial markets. The indicator accounts for annual production volumes reported in tonnes or thousand tonnes, reflecting the overall performance of the honey-producing sector within a country or region. Excluded: Honey production excludes processed or value-added honey products such as flavored honey, blended honey products, and honey-based food items, as the indicator measures only raw honey output. It does not include honey imports, exports, consumption, retail sales, or market value. Other beekeeping products such as beeswax, royal jelly, and propolis are excluded, along with artificial honey substitutes and production losses occurring during processing, storage, or transportation.
Where does the Global Honey Production data come from?
The series is sourced from Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?pickerSort=asc&pickerMetric=entityName&Food=Honey&Metric=Production&Per+capita=false&country=USA~DEU~FRA~GBR~BRA~ZAF%3BhideControls). It covers 2015–2024 and is reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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