New Section 301 tariffs and a shifting import map are colliding with a tight domestic crop, setting up a volatile marketing season for U.S. beekeepers.
August 11, 2026 — Steven Coy, President, American Honey Producers Association
As the 2026 summer honey crop extraction gets underway, the U.S. honey market is entering one of its most consequential seasons in years. A short domestic crop is meeting a newly tariffed import market, and beekeepers should expect the effects to show up directly in what packers are willing to pay.
A shifting import map
The most recent USDA import data, for May, shows Vietnamese honey imports continuing to decline. Imports from India remain significant, though the picture is more complicated than a simple rise: After a nearly 25 million pound increase from 2024 to 2025, volumes so far in 2026 are down about 10 million pounds from last year. Some of that swing reflects importers who normally source organic honey from Brazil finding that supply tight due to demand, and turning to India instead.
Argentina, meanwhile, has found new customers of its own in the EU, and as a result, prices for Argentine honey have climbed to nearly $2.20 a pound for U.S. packers.
Enforcement of the existing antidumping orders remains a priority. Years of strong enforcement against Chinese imports have pushed tariffs high enough to effectively halt shipments. For their part, Argentina and India are challenging Commerce’s latest dumping margins at the U.S. Court of International Trade, arguing their rates are too high; that litigation is still in its early stages. Vietnamese producers filed a similar appeal but withdrew it within the last few days.
Tariffs reshape the cost equation
AHPA’s years-long advocacy effort is paying off: honey has now been included in the Trump administration’s Section 301 tariffs.
These new tariffs, layered on top of the existing antidumping duty orders on honey from Argentina, Brazil, India, and Vietnam, are already disrupting the import market in real ways. Combined duties running roughly 16 to 23% will push up the price packers have to pay for imported honey.
A tighter domestic crop
The Chinese tallow flow along the Gulf Coast came in short this year, and prices for local and regional honey have already risen as a result. Expect continued upward pressure as buyers move to secure supply before the limited crop is gone.
It’s too early to make reliable predictions on the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. As always, some areas are reporting average or better production, but significant areas have been affected by heat and smoke, and there have already been a few reports of producers moving hives south early.
Looking ahead
Just like every season calls for tweaks to a management program, this year’s honey marketing season is shaping up to look different from the recent past. Packers should be expected to pay a little more, given the effectiveness of the tariffs, increased tariff levels, and the tightness of the crop — producers should be prepared for volatility ahead in prices for both domestic and imported honey.
We hope you’re able to get the price you need, and that your bees are in good condition heading into fall.
Stay tuned…
