# small scale market for foreign specialty honey



## Phoenix (May 26, 2004)

We have the same problem over here Guatabee. Because of all the foreign countries dumping their honey on our soil for pennies on the dollar we have a hard time getting a fair price for our harvest. I feel for you, but the only thing that I would recommend would be for the honey farmers over their to retail their product like we have to do in order to get a fair price.


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## guatebee (Nov 15, 2004)

Thank you Phoenix. I personally feel that dumping is bad, bad news. One of the ways in which the US and Europe are holding back on foreign imports is higher standards of qulity, which many beekeepers cannot meet.
Still, at a small scale level, specialty market niches are a good road to take. The problem is finding thos niches and to establish sound business with them.
Lots of things can be done, like producing pollen, propolis, extra wax and nucs for sale. the question always arises: who buys at a good price ? Apparently consumer preferences have been so manipulated and standardized that small lots of unique products rarely have a chance. 
The promotion of local markets seems to be a clear alternative, because it involves very hard work at educating a non consuming public. Governmental institutions and private industry will have to come up with some generic campaign to benefit all.
I´ll keep in touch.


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2004)

Niche markets are fun, and proifitable.
If I were you, I'd find out how many
Jewish people live near you, and find
their rabbi. The rabbi can inspect your
facilities, and if they are very, very
clean, instruct you in what you need to
do to produce "Kosher" honey. Once you
meet the criteria, he can give you the
permission to put the proper symbols on
your labels to indicate that it is Kosher,
and can be used at passover.

One tradition among Jewish people is to
serve apples dipped in honey at passover.
This niche market is highly profitable, as
there may be NO other Kosher honey producers
in your country.

But don't tell anyone... let this be a little
secret between you and I. And, ummm, about
a thousand other people who stumble into
this message.









I thought that one had to be Jewish to
be awarded "Kosher" status, but this is
not true at all. So, I may be Lutheran,
but I run a Kosher honey house, and can
bottle honey for Passover at much higher
prices than others might think possible.

Hehehe... I'd tell you more, but then
everyone would start competing with me
in my many niche markets, and I would not
get the prices I can get.

As far as international sales of honey go,
there really is no reason to accuse anyone
of "dumping". The price for honey is a 
WORLD price, and depends more on simple 
worldwide supply than anything else.
So, no matter where honey is sold, and no
matter where it comes from, it impacts the
price everywhere. Why? Because honey buyers
are willing to buy honey from the other side
of the planet if they can save a few cents.
(I never understand why shipping costs are
not a significant issue to these people.)


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## guatebee (Nov 15, 2004)

There´s a guy with a sharp mind !! Thanks for sharing one of your secrets jf.

As a matter of fact I do know The rabbi in Guatemala. I will approach him on the subject and will share back the findings.


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2004)

(I never understand why shipping costs are
not a significant issue to these people.)

I am considering importing honey from a European country to Japan, and I have been researching the shipping costs. Basically, accordng to the offers i have been getting so far, if I import one 20 feet container, it increases the cost of 1 kilogram of honey with USD 0.30-0.40. If you are a huge importer and can import by the ship, I suppose you can cut this prices in half or even more. Of course you have to make corrections for the import tax too. However, it is clear that honey (or anything) imported from a country where the labor is paid 10 times less than in your country will be a lot cheaper. Smart people are realizing that and are fighting to get a good quality in these poor counties too, which increases the price only a little.


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