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Processed food

Export natural honey

Mustard, multiflora and other honeys, mostly to the USA. A minimum export price of US$ 1,400/tonne applies till 31 Dec 2026.

Free, with conditionsHS 0409.00
HS code
0409.00
Natural honey (ITC(HS) 0409 00 00).
Export policy
Free, with conditions
Free, subject to a Minimum Export Price of US$ 1,400 FOB per tonne till 31 Dec 2026 (DGFT Notification 09/2026-27, 10 Apr 2026). The MEP was US$ 2,000 until it was cut to US$ 1,400 on 22 Aug 2025 (Notification 27/2025-26). Check DGFT for any extension after December 2026.
Registrations
5
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 208 mn
to 54 countries

What is exported

India produced about 1.52 lakh tonnes of honey in 2024-25 and exported 1.15 lakh tonnes worth US$ 206 million in 2025-26. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, Bihar and Rajasthan lead production. The USA, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Portugal and Bangladesh were the main buyers. Most honey ships in 300 kg drums to packers abroad.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Rapeseed / mustard honeyThe main export honey; crystallises quickly, sold in bulk to packers.
  • Multiflora Himalayan honeyMixed-flower honey from hill regions.
  • Eucalyptus, lychee, sunflower and karanj honeyMono-floral honeys with distinct taste and colour.
  • Wild forest and acacia honeySmaller premium lots; buyers ask for origin proof.

Where it is grown or made

  • Uttar PradeshLargest producer (16.74%).
  • West Bengal15.85% of output, including Sundarbans forest honey.
  • Punjab and HaryanaPunjab 13.91%; large processing and export plants.
  • Bihar and RajasthanBihar 12.35% (lychee honey around Muzaffarpur); Rajasthan 8.84% (mustard).

Season

Depends on the flower: mustard honey is collected in winter (roughly December–March), lychee honey in spring.

Export packing

  • Bulk honey in food-grade lined steel drums of about 300 kg.
  • Retail jars or squeeze bottles in cartons for supermarkets.
  • Every lot needs EIC export inspection and a residue/NMR test report before shipment.

Who buys abroad

  • Honey packers and blenders in the USA
  • Importers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Portugal
  • Food and bakery manufacturers

The quality buyers ask for

Moisture
Not more than 20% for most honeys (Codex CXS 12-1981)
Sugars
Fructose plus glucose at least 60 g/100 g; sucrose not more than 5 g/100 g for most honeys (Codex)
HMF and diastase
HMF not more than 40 mg/kg (80 mg/kg for tropical honey); diastase at least 8 Schade units (Codex) — both show heating and age
Authenticity
Tests for added syrups: C4 sugar (isotope) test and NMR profiling, which most US and EU buyers now ask for
Residues
No antibiotic residues; pesticides within limits, monitored under EIC’s residue plan for EU exports
Grades
AGMARK Honey Grading and Marking Rules, 2024 (DMI)

Certificates

  • EIC export certificationRequiredHoney exports are covered by EIC’s executive instructions; units must be approved and consignments certified for markets such as the EU.
  • APEDA RCMCRequiredRegistration with APEDA, issued as an RCMC on the DGFT portal. Since 15 Sep 2026, a consignment up to ₹3 lakh FOB can go without it.
  • FSSAI licenceRequiredCentral licence from FSSAI for the premises where the food is packed or stored for export. Apply on FoSCoS.
  • HACCPOften askedA food-safety plan that identifies hazards at each processing step and controls them. Most importers ask for it from the processing unit.
  • Organic (NPOP / NOP / EU)Often askedNeeded only if you sell the product as organic: NPOP certification by an accredited body, plus the buyer market’s own organic rules.
  • HalalOften askedAsked for by many buyers in the Gulf, Malaysia and Indonesia, especially for processed and animal-origin foods. Use a body the destination recognises.
  • KosherOften askedAsked for by some US and Israeli buyers and by ingredient buyers who supply kosher brands.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Bulk honey in 300 kg food-grade drums: a 20-ft container typically holds about 70–80 drums (around 21–24 tonnes). Retail jars go in cartons on pallets.

How it travels

Sea freight in dry containers from Mundra, Nhava Sheva and Kolkata.

Storage

Store cool and away from sun; heat raises HMF and destroys enzymes. Mustard honey crystallises quickly — that is natural.

Shelf life

Typically about two years best-before; honey does not spoil but loses quality with heat and time.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • EU retail packs (Regulation 1169/2011): name of the food, ingredients with allergens highlighted, net quantity, best-before date, storage conditions, the EU importer’s name and address, and origin where required — in the language of the country of sale.
  • USA (21 CFR 101): product name, net quantity in both US and metric units, ingredients, allergens, name and place of business of the packer or distributor, Nutrition Facts unless exempt; and “Product of India” marking (19 CFR 134).
  • Gulf countries: Arabic text (Arabic plus English is normal), production and expiry dates, net weight, country of origin and the importer’s details. Confirm the current rules with your importer.
  • Name the floral source (for example mustard or multiflora) only if testing supports it; EU blends must state the countries of origin.
  • Lot or batch number on every pack and bag — FSSAI’s Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020 require it, and every importing country uses it to trace and recall.
Where to get it tested

For EU-bound honey use EIC’s laboratories or EIC-approved labs (eicindia.gov.in). For NMR or C4 tests, search the NABL directory (nabl-india.org) for labs with these methods in scope; some buyers insist on a named lab abroad — agree this in the contract.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • APEDARegistration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) for APEDA-scheduled products. Apply on the DGFT portal after you have your IEC.dgft.gov.in ↗
  • FSSAIFood business licence. FSSAI rules put food exporters under the Central licence; apply on FoSCoS and keep it valid for the premises you pack from.foscos.fssai.gov.in ↗
  • Export Inspection Council (EIC)Approval of your honey processing unit and export certification by EIC/EIA for markets that require it, including the EU.eicindia.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Adulteration tests: buyers commonly ask for NMR or C4-sugar tests to rule out added syrup.
  • Antibiotic and pesticide residues, HMF and moisture under FSSAI and buyer standards.
  • EIC export certificate where the market requires it (honey is one of the food categories notified for export inspection).
How to start small

Source from beekeeper groups with traceable apiaries, have each batch tested (including NMR), and sell drums to a Gulf packer or bottled honey to ethnic stores. Price at or above the MEP, or customs will not clear the shipping bill.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Buying cheap honey that fails NMR — rejected drums are costly to bring back.
  • Invoicing below the MEP; the shipment is held at customs.
  • US anti-dumping duties apply to honey from India; check the current rate for your supplier before quoting a US buyer.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (6)
  1. APEDA — Natural Honey profile (exports and destinations 2025-26)
  2. DGFT Notification 09/2026-27 (10 Apr 2026) — honey MEP US$ 1,400/MT extended till 31 Dec 2026
  3. DGFT Notification 27/2025-26 (22 Aug 2025) — honey MEP cut from US$ 2,000 to US$ 1,400
  4. EIC — Executive instructions for export of honey
  5. PIB — EIC as facilitator of export quality (notified food categories)
  6. US International Trade Administration — anti-dumping and countervailing duties

Trade data

Indian natural honey exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 208 mn
+16.5% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +0.7%
US$ 206 mn → US$ 208 mn
Buyer countries
54
Average export price
US$ 1.82
per kg · 1,14,570 tonnes shipped · US$ 2.05 the year before
United States of America: US$ 158 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 15.9 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 5.2 mnBangladesh: US$ 2.1 mnQatar: US$ 1.9 mnCanada: US$ 1.8 mnNetherlands: US$ 1.6 mnOman: US$ 1.4 mnJapan: US$ 1.4 mnNepal: US$ 1.2 mnKuwait: US$ 900kAustralia: US$ 720kMauritius: US$ 650kSouth Africa: US$ 400kUnited Kingdom: US$ 320kSri Lanka: US$ 250kUnited States of America: US$ 158 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 15.9 mnUnited Arab EmiratesSaudi Arabia: US$ 5.2 mnBangladesh: US$ 2.1 mnBangladeshQatar: US$ 1.9 mnCanada: US$ 1.8 mnNetherlands: US$ 1.6 mnNetherlandsOman: US$ 1.4 mnJapan: US$ 1.4 mnJapanNepal: US$ 1.2 mnNepalKuwait: US$ 900kAustralia: US$ 720kMauritius: US$ 650kSouth Africa: US$ 400kUnited Kingdom: US$ 320kSri Lanka: US$ 250kIndia
Where Indian natural honey goes — among our 30 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 96.8 mn972020-212021-22: US$ 164 mn1642021-222022-23: US$ 203 mn2032022-232023-24: US$ 178 mn1782023-242024-25: US$ 206 mn2062024-252025-26: US$ 208 mn2082025-26
India’s natural honey exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2020-21 — a 58% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 1.61 per kg1.612021-22: US$ 2.20 per kg2022-23: US$ 2.54 per kg2.542024-25: US$ 2.05 per kg2025-26: US$ 1.82 per kg1.822020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian natural honey · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 96.8 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 164 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 203 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 178 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 206 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 208 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 264 mn (US$ 202 mn – US$ 346 mn)2642026-272027-28: US$ 300 mn (US$ 222 mn – US$ 405 mn)3002027-28
India’s natural honey exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 300 mn

Likely range US$ 222 mn to US$ 405 mn.

Trend
+13.3% a year
Fit (R²)
0.64
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United States of AmericaUS$ 158 mn-2.5%
2United Arab EmiratesUS$ 15.9 mn-13.4%
3Saudi ArabiaUS$ 5.2 mn-9.5%
4PortugalUS$ 3.9 mn+26.5%
5BangladeshUS$ 2.1 mn+10.9%
6IsraelUS$ 2 mn—
7QatarUS$ 1.9 mn-11%
8CanadaUS$ 1.8 mn+13.7%
9MoroccoUS$ 1.8 mn+38.8%
10NetherlandsUS$ 1.6 mn+552%
11BelgiumUS$ 1.5 mn+3,600%
12OmanUS$ 1.4 mn+2.1%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. PortugalUS$ 3.1 mn → US$ 3.9 mn+26.5%
  2. BangladeshUS$ 1.9 mn → US$ 2.1 mn+10.9%

Low demand

  1. LibyaUS$ 2.3 mn → US$ 1.2 mn-46.3%
  2. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 18.4 mn → US$ 15.9 mn-13.4%
  3. QatarUS$ 2.1 mn → US$ 1.9 mn-11%

New buyers: Countries that bought nothing from India in 2024-25 and did in 2025-26.

  • Israel · US$ 2 mn

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Honey, natural — natural honey0409 00 00US$ 208 mn+0.7%1,14,570 tonnesUS$ 1.82 per kgwas US$ 2.05

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 2.2 bn
2023
India among exporters
#4
of 140 countries
India’s share of world exports
8.1%
US$ 171 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 1.95 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 254 mn 12%
  2. 2New ZealandUS$ 243 mn 11.5%
  3. 3ArgentinaUS$ 178 mn 8.4%
  4. 4IndiaUS$ 171 mn 8.1%
  5. 5GermanyUS$ 124 mn 5.8%
  6. 6UkraineUS$ 121 mn 5.7%
  7. 7SpainUS$ 114 mn 5.4%
  8. 8BrazilUS$ 85.3 mn 4%
  9. 9HungaryUS$ 65.3 mn 3.1%
  10. 10MexicoUS$ 53.8 mn 2.5%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 585 mn 26.6%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 225 mn 10.2%
  3. 3JapanUS$ 145 mn 6.6%
  4. 4FranceUS$ 117 mn 5.3%
  5. 5United KingdomUS$ 112 mn 5.1%
  6. 6ItalyUS$ 83.9 mn 3.8%
  7. 7SpainUS$ 66.7 mn 3%
  8. 8Saudi ArabiaUS$ 66.3 mn 3%
  9. 9ChinaUS$ 63.6 mn 2.9%
  10. 10PolandUS$ 56.6 mn 2.6%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 650 mnIndia 23.3% · gap US$ 499 mn
GermanyUS$ 242 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 242 mn
JapanUS$ 137 mnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 136 mn
United KingdomUS$ 112 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 112 mn
FranceUS$ 110 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 110 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 92.3 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 92.2 mn
ItalyUS$ 70.5 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 70.5 mn
SpainUS$ 66.3 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 66.3 mn
Saudi ArabiaUS$ 68.7 mnIndia 8.6% · gap US$ 62.8 mn
ChinaUS$ 48.3 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 48.3 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export natural honey

India is one of the leading honey exporters, with the USA as its biggest buyer, followed by the Gulf and Asian markets. China, Argentina, Ukraine, Brazil and Vietnam are the main rival origins, while New Zealand sells high-priced manuka. Buyers now test heavily for added sugar syrups, so purity testing decides who sells. The openings are mustard, multiflora and forest honeys with clean test results, organic honey, and retail packs for diaspora and health-food shelves.

  1. 01Check the MEP

    Honey has a minimum export price (US$ 1,400 per tonne FOB till 31 Dec 2026). Do not quote below it.

  2. 02Work through an approved unit

    Process and pack in an EIC-approved, FSSAI-licensed unit, especially for the EU.

  3. 03Buy traceable raw honey

    Buy from registered beekeepers with records of location, flora and medicines used.

  4. 04Test purity and residues

    Test each lot for Codex parameters, C4 sugar or NMR, and antibiotics before you sign the final price.

  5. 05Filter and pack without overheating

    Warm gently only as much as needed to filter; fill drums and seal with lot numbers.

  6. 06Certify and ship

    Get the EIC certificate where required, file the shipping bill and ship.

  7. 07Get paid and close the file

    Send the original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). Once the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP and drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting natural honey

Why do buyers ask for NMR testing?
NMR compares your honey with a database of genuine honeys and detects many added syrups that older tests miss.
Is there a minimum price for honey exports?
Yes. The MEP is US$ 1,400 per tonne FOB till 31 Dec 2026 (DGFT Notification 09/2026-27). Check DGFT for any change after that.
My honey has crystallised. Is it spoiled?
No. Crystallisation is natural, especially for mustard honey. Tell the buyer in advance; many sell it as creamed honey.
Does the USA charge extra duty on Indian honey?
The USA has anti-dumping duty orders on honey from several countries, including India. Check the current rate for your exporter on the US International Trade Administration site.
Can I call my honey “raw” or “organic”?
“Organic” needs NPOP and buyer-market certification. “Raw” has no single legal meaning — check the importing country’s rules.
Sources (7)
  1. APEDA — Natural Honey profile
  2. EIC — Executive instructions for export of honey
  3. DGFT Notification 09/2026-27 (10 Apr 2026) — honey MEP US$ 1,400/MT till 31 Dec 2026
  4. US International Trade Administration — anti-dumping and countervailing duties
  5. Codex Alimentarius — list of standards
  6. Directorate of Marketing & Inspection — AGMARK grade standards (commodity-wise rules)
  7. NABL — National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (laboratory search)

Who buys Indian natural honey

All countries →

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