Bulgarian Honey Industry Struggles with Import Woes, Says Local Producer
Manol Todorov, a leading figure in the Strandzha honey industry, has expressed optimism about the 2024 harvest for mann honey
The quality of Bulgarian honey drops with every step along the production chain, according to beekeepers.
They have said that the problem is caused by honey-processers.
At the same time, no breach of standards or legal provisions takes place because the sale of honey with additives is authorized, according to a report of Bulgarian private TV channel bTV.
Under the Bulgarian national standard BDS, good quality honey must contain no more than 19.90% of water and up to 78% reducing sugar.
If these norms are observed, they can guarantee the high quality of Bulgarian honey and it will not be necessary to introduce more stringent requirements, Bulgarian beekeepers say, noting that the quality of the product in Europe is much lower.
According to the producers, even first-rate Bulgarian honey loses most of its beneficial properties until it reaches the market.
"What traders are allowed to do is to heat the honey to liquefy it so that it can pass through the packaging installations", beekeeper Daniela Chelebieva says.
Throughout the above process, honey loses a major portion of enzymes and vitamins.
As a result, Bulgarians are finding it very difficult to buy first-rate honey in supermarket chains.
Beekeepers have no direct access to big chains of food stores because they are required by law to sell 3/5 of their output to wholesale traders.
The remaining 2/5 can be sold directly only if they have a registration for the purpose.
Due to bureaucratic impediments, only 17 Bulgarian beekeepers currently have such permits.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
A special hall will welcome gamers and enthusiasts for various activities and tournaments
In a recent interview with BTA, Associate Professor Angel Kunchev, the chief state health inspector, addressed the potential declaration of an epidemic of whooping cough and outlined the measures that would be taken in response
Over the next 24 hours, a cold front will move across the country, bringing mostly cloudy skies and widespread rain
As Bulgaria grapples with a surge in whooping cough cases, Public Health experts offer insights into the situation, assuring the public about the severity of symptoms and emphasizing the importance of vaccination
Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Dimitar Nedyalkov heralded a new era of connectivity as he unveiled the ambitious 5G SEAGUL project, which aims to blanket the Struma highway with high-speed internet coverage
In a significant update to Bulgaria's identification system, the issuance of new ID cards will come with a higher price tag of BGN 30, compared to the current fee of BGN 18
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022