The heavy rain in the past few months will push honey prices up against the backdrop of a small harvest, according to Bulgarian industry representatives.

Honey retailers from the Smolyan district, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio, noted that they expected a price increase by BGN 2, with a jar of honey reaching a price tag of BGN 12-13.

Experts made clear that the main reasons for the poor harvest had been the continuous rainfall and the cold weather in the beginning of the summer.

Bulgarian beekeepers complained that the humidity had caused disturbances to the pollen collection process.

The issue of an increase in prices of honey came up in early September.

Mihail Mihaylov, Chair of the Bulgarian Beekeepers' Union, informed that the output in 2014 was expected to be 30-40% lower compared to 2013.

He said, however, that the humidity had also brought benefits, stressing that swarming had been registered for the first time in years in some regions.