"Honey House" sells eight tons of honey

The Beekeeping Development Center "Honey House" in Danilovgrad sold about eight tons of honey last year, collaborated with about 100 beekeepers, and estimates that they ended the year with a profit of about 10.000 euros.

A fifth of their turnover came from the purchase of honey, for which they paid beekeepers about ten euros per kilogram.

This was stated by the executive director of "Kuća meda" in an interview with "Vijesti". Vladimir Radulović.

The Beekeeping Development Center "Honey House" is a joint project of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Association of Beekeeping Organizations, and was opened in Danilovgrad in 2015. The government invested around half a million euros in its construction, and they produce, among other things, food for bees, process raw beeswax, purchase and package honey, sell equipment for beekeepers...

Last year was challenging for some beekeepers due to unstable weather, bee losses during the winter and low yields, so there was no honey even in June. “Kuća meda”, among other things, purchases, packages and resells honey, under the brand name “Crnogorski med”.

Radulović particularly highlighted the problem of drought and stressed that their goal is sustainability because they depend on turnover, the specificity of their business, and a limited number of clients, which is why it took them a long time to achieve stable business.

He told "Vijesti" in early 2024 that they were working on launching a cosmetics line made from bee products, but that they were not ready yet because the process was demanding due to testing and registration.

"Specifically for 2025, we do not yet have precise data regarding the balance sheet, however, based on a comparison with the previous year, we can be satisfied with what has been achieved. The expected net profit is around ten thousand euros. The purchase of honey is a continuous process and an important production process that accounts for around 20 percent of turnover. In this way, we generate part of the income needed for operation. The purchase price of honey is around ten euros per kilogram, while the selling price is 15,5 euros including VAT. During 2025, we sold around eight tons of honey. Our main distributor is the 'Voli' retail chain," emphasized Radulović, adding that the purchase of honey allows beekeepers to sell surpluses and secure a market.

2.400 beekeepers in Montenegro

Radulović explained that the purchase is defined by the Regulation, which implies meeting certain conditions, which ensures that the honey is absolutely safe for health, and that they cooperate exclusively with beekeepers from Montenegro who are registered in the register of agricultural farms.

He also stated that bees are suffering from increasing pressures globally, especially from diseases, pesticides and climate change, and that a serious controversy has already erupted in the European Parliament over compensation for beekeepers for pollination. Radulović stressed that it remains to be seen whether the MPs there will succeed in winning over directives that oblige EU member states to pay for pollination.

He emphasized that yields depend on several factors, especially droughts, which cause a lack of pollen, making bee colonies less and less developed and more difficult to survive.

"The annual honey yield in our country is around ten kilograms per hive. With a more intensive beekeeping method that includes moving throughout the year, this average increases slightly. So far, 'Kuća meda' has around 100 cooperators from whom honey has been purchased. According to the data of the Association of Beekeeping Organizations of Montenegro, there are around 2.400 member beekeepers, while 1.800 are registered in the register of the Ministry of Agriculture. An appeal to all beekeepers to take care of protecting bee colonies from 'varroa' mites. To provide adequate medications for tick control in a timely manner and to start treatment immediately after honey collection. If possible, it would be very useful to provide pollen as a dietary supplement during the month of August. 'Kuća meda', to the extent possible, is available to all beekeepers both in terms of procurement of almost all segments of beekeeping activities and with advice and recommendations for doubts and other matters," he emphasized.

Asked about cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Radulović said that they are good partners and that they support initiatives for the further development of the sector. He also explained that beekeepers can use a number of programs of that department, and that the Agrobudget was adopted a few days ago - so public calls for tenders for the procurement of beekeeping equipment, accessories, hives, medicines for combating varroa mites, queen bees, transport vehicles... will soon be announced.

He pointed out that the condition is that beekeepers are registered in the register maintained by the Ministry, that the criteria are the same for all beekeepers, and that there is a support program for organic beekeeping, which is increasingly popular in Montenegro.

The government established the Agrobudget at a session in early April, and beekeepers, as he says, have several measures at their disposal. The most significant is certainly the Beekeeping Improvement Program worth 400.000 euros. Through this program, beekeepers can receive eight euros for the purchase of a queen bee, while a total of 70.000 euros are available to them for protection against ticks and 40.000 for the purchase of wax. They also have 10.000 at their disposal for wax processing, 150.000 euros for the purchase of hives, 40.000 for cost rationalization...

The profits are not big.

According to data on the business of "Kuća meda" from previous years, the company ended 2022 with a profit of 5.870 euros, and that year the harvest was weaker, so their supply was small.

At that time, beekeepers complained about the purchase price offered by the company, and the attempt to expand the market by packing honey in PVC bags was also problematic, because the competition offered similar packages at twice the lower price.

Beekeepers then had complaints about the invert syrup produced, or rather its crystallization, and the "Honey House" contacted various addresses to resolve the problem.

The company then ended 2023 with a profit of around 20 thousand euros, while their annual turnover was around 650 thousand euros.

"Honey House" ended 2024 with a profit of around 10.000 euros.