India is the world's 4th largest honey exporter, but most honey sold locally is fake—77% is adulterated with sugar. Despite producing 130,000+ tonnes annually, Indian consumers mostly consume low-quality, mixed honey, while high-quality honey is exported. Lack of strict testing and cheap Chinese sugar syrup lead to health risks and industry exploitation.
India became the 4th largest honey exporter in the world in 2022!
And yet majority of its own citizens are consuming adulterated honey
The Crazy Part? 77% of honey sold in India is FAKE!
THREAD: How India’s honey industry is a scam🧵
For centuries, honey has been integral to Indian culture. It has been used as a sacred offering during rituals and ceremonies, and is even mentioned in Ayurveda for its therapeutic properties.
Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,
the global demand for honey suddenly increased as its antioxidants & anti-microbial properties are proven to boost immunity.
As people are getting more & more conscious about their health, consuming honey with lemon water first thing in the morning has become a common practice.
Health-conscious? No!
Because 77% of the honey available in the Indian market is adulterated with sugar syrup.
So, the morning detox water that you have been savoring with a guilt-free conscience is actually mixed with sugar!
So despite its significance in our culture, our country lacks in the consumption of authentic honey.
Interestingly, India produces massive quantities of honey — over 130,000 metric tonnes of honey every year!
But more than half of the honey produced in India is exported,
— mainly to the United States.
This is usually high-quality organic honey known for its therapeutic benefits & earns India more than $242 million in exports.
The Indian honey market is already growing rapidly at a CAGR of 8.4% and is expected to reach ₹38.8 billion by 2028.
In foreign countries, the average per capita consumption of honey ranges between 250-4000 gm per year whereas it is as low as 4-5 gm in India!
So as for the honey left for Indian consumers, the reality is grim.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) tests are considered the gold standard for testing the purity of honey and while these tests are mandatory for the honey that is shipped out of India,
— but it is “not” mandatory for domestic sale.
While these tests were mandated in 2017 by the FSSAI, they were repealed in 2019.
Only a few brands like Saffola in India have "passed" purity tests for honey.
But even leading household brands such as Dabur, Patanjali, and Zandu have "failed" these tests.
And many brands continue to brazenly market this unhealthy mix of sugar syrup as the ‘purest honey in the market’.
Not only is this a scam, but it also leads to serious health issues like a spike in glucose levels, diabetes, & even obesity resulting from long-term consumption.
What’s more damaging is that companies or honey producers are not mandated to undergo any significant testing to sell their honey in India.
In the past decade, things have only gotten worse due to the corporate exploitation of the industry.
So why is the government not doing anything to stop this?
See, honey is one of the most adulterated food items and usually goes unchecked as the NMR and TMR tests used to check its purity are expensive and scarcely available.
Hardworking beekeepers are making only half of the income that they were making in 2014.
They are left with no option other than mixing honey with sugar syrup imported from China.
Whereas, Chinese sugar syrup exporters openly advertised on online marketplaces such as
Alibaba and TradeIndia about rice & sugar syrups that could bypass the lab tests and were ‘perfect’ to adulterate honey.
In fact, India is the largest importer of sugar syrup from China!
Large corporations do not mind this adulteration because:
👉it lowers their costs and
👉authority checks are virtually non-existent.
So what is the government now doing to improve the situation?
1⃣ National Beekeeping and Honey Mission
Since the major problem is that the global demand for honey is far greater than its supply,
this initiative helped increase honey production through scientific beekeeping.
2⃣ Honey FPO Program
This program was inaugurated in 2020 to boost the supply of honey and provide employment to marginal farmers, unemployed women & the tribal population.
Through policy measures, the govt is working towards achieving the goal of ‘sweet mission’ in India.
Moreover, NMR tests need to be mandated again and made cheaper to ensure the quality of honey being sold.
While this may increase prices in the short term, it will eventually lead to better earnings for beekeepers
— and the Indian consumer can rest assured that the honey they are buying is free of additives.
Now is the time for the industry to tap into its potential and make for a safer, more informed honey market in India, for the world.
If you liked this read, do RePost🔄 the 1st post and follow us @FinFloww for such reads every Monday, Wednesday and Friday!
India became the 4th largest honey exporter in the world in 2022!
And yet majority of its own citizens are consuming adulterated honey
The Crazy Part? 77% of honey sold in India is FAKE!
THREAD: How India’s honey industry is a scam🧵For centuries, honey has been integral to Indian culture. It has been used as a sacred offering during rituals and ceremonies, and is even mentioned in Ayurveda for its therapeutic properties.
Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,the global demand for honey suddenly increased as its antioxidants & anti-microbial properties are proven to boost immunity.
As people are getting more & more conscious about their health, consuming honey with lemon water first thing in the morning has become a common practice.Health-conscious? No!
Because 77% of the honey available in the Indian market is adulterated with sugar syrup.
So, the morning detox water that you have been savoring with a guilt-free conscience is actually mixed with sugar!So despite its significance in our culture, our country lacks in the consumption of authentic honey.
Interestingly, India produces massive quantities of honey — over 130,000 metric tonnes of honey every year!
But more than half of the honey produced in India is exported,— mainly to the United States.
This is usually high-quality organic honey known for its therapeutic benefits & earns India more than $242 million in exports.
The Indian honey market is already growing rapidly at a CAGR of 8.4% and is expected to reach ₹38.8 billion by 2028.In foreign countries, the average per capita consumption of honey ranges between 250-4000 gm per year whereas it is as low as 4-5 gm in India!
So as for the honey left for Indian consumers, the reality is grim.Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) tests are considered the gold standard for testing the purity of honey and while these tests are mandatory for the honey that is shipped out of India,
— but it is “not” mandatory for domestic sale.While these tests were mandated in 2017 by the FSSAI, they were repealed in 2019.
Only a few brands like Saffola in India have "passed" purity tests for honey.
But even leading household brands such as Dabur, Patanjali, and Zandu have "failed" these tests.And many brands continue to brazenly market this unhealthy mix of sugar syrup as the ‘purest honey in the market’.
Not only is this a scam, but it also leads to serious health issues like a spike in glucose levels, diabetes, & even obesity resulting from long-term consumption.What’s more damaging is that companies or honey producers are not mandated to undergo any significant testing to sell their honey in India.
In the past decade, things have only gotten worse due to the corporate exploitation of the industry.So why is the government not doing anything to stop this?
See, honey is one of the most adulterated food items and usually goes unchecked as the NMR and TMR tests used to check its purity are expensive and scarcely available.Hardworking beekeepers are making only half of the income that they were making in 2014.
They are left with no option other than mixing honey with sugar syrup imported from China.
Whereas, Chinese sugar syrup exporters openly advertised on online marketplaces such asAlibaba and TradeIndia about rice & sugar syrups that could bypass the lab tests and were ‘perfect’ to adulterate honey.
In fact, India is the largest importer of sugar syrup from China!Large corporations do not mind this adulteration because:
👉it lowers their costs and
👉authority checks are virtually non-existent.
So what is the government now doing to improve the situation?1⃣ National Beekeeping and Honey Mission
Since the major problem is that the global demand for honey is far greater than its supply,
this initiative helped increase honey production through scientific beekeeping.2⃣ Honey FPO Program
This program was inaugurated in 2020 to boost the supply of honey and provide employment to marginal farmers, unemployed women & the tribal population.
Through policy measures, the govt is working towards achieving the goal of ‘sweet mission’ in India.Moreover, NMR tests need to be mandated again and made cheaper to ensure the quality of honey being sold.
While this may increase prices in the short term, it will eventually lead to better earnings for beekeepers— and the Indian consumer can rest assured that the honey they are buying is free of additives.
Now is the time for the industry to tap into its potential and make for a safer, more informed honey market in India, for the world.If you liked this read, do RePost🔄 the 1st post and follow us @FinFloww for such reads every Monday, Wednesday and Friday!Get our WhatsApp newsletter:Subscribe to WHAT THE FLOWW?, our weekly email newsletter where we dive deeper into such concepts:
yes
India became the 4th largest honey exporter in the world in 2022!
And yet majority of its own citizens are consuming adulterated honey
The Crazy Part? 77% of honey sold in India is FAKE!
THREAD: How India’s honey industry is a scam🧵 ... For centuries, honey has been integral to Indian culture. It has been used as a sacred offering during rituals and ceremonies, and is even mentioned in Ayurveda for its therapeutic properties.
Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, ... the global demand for honey suddenly increased as its antioxidants & anti-microbial properties are proven to boost immunity.
As people are getting more & more conscious about their health, consuming honey with lemon water first thing in the morning has become a common practice. ... Health-conscious? No!
Because 77% of the honey available in the Indian market is adulterated with sugar syrup.
So, the morning detox water that you have been savoring with a guilt-free conscience is actually mixed with sugar! ... So despite its significance in our culture, our country lacks in the consumption of authentic honey.
Interestingly, India produces massive quantities of honey — over 130,000 metric tonnes of honey every year!
But more than half of the honey produced in India is exported, ... — mainly to the United States.
This is usually high-quality organic honey known for its therapeutic benefits & earns India more than $242 million in exports.
The Indian honey market is already growing rapidly at a CAGR of 8.4% and is expected to reach ₹38.8 billion by 2028. ... In foreign countries, the average per capita consumption of honey ranges between 250-4000 gm per year whereas it is as low as 4-5 gm in India!
So as for the honey left for Indian consumers, the reality is grim. ... Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) tests are considered the gold standard for testing the purity of honey and while these tests are mandatory for the honey that is shipped out of India,
— but it is “not” mandatory for domestic sale. ... While these tests were mandated in 2017 by the FSSAI, they were repealed in 2019.
Only a few brands like Saffola in India have "passed" purity tests for honey.
But even leading household brands such as Dabur, Patanjali, and Zandu have "failed" these tests. ... And many brands continue to brazenly market this unhealthy mix of sugar syrup as the ‘purest honey in the market’.
Not only is this a scam, but it also leads to serious health issues like a spike in glucose levels, diabetes, & even obesity resulting from long-term consumption. ... What’s more damaging is that companies or honey producers are not mandated to undergo any significant testing to sell their honey in India.
In the past decade, things have only gotten worse due to the corporate exploitation of the industry. ... So why is the government not doing anything to stop this?
See, honey is one of the most adulterated food items and usually goes unchecked as the NMR and TMR tests used to check its purity are expensive and scarcely available. ... Hardworking beekeepers are making only half of the income that they were making in 2014.
They are left with no option other than mixing honey with sugar syrup imported from China.
Whereas, Chinese sugar syrup exporters openly advertised on online marketplaces such as ... Alibaba and TradeIndia about rice & sugar syrups that could bypass the lab tests and were ‘perfect’ to adulterate honey.
In fact, India is the largest importer of sugar syrup from China! ... Large corporations do not mind this adulteration because:
it lowers their costs and
authority checks are virtually non-existent.
So what is the government now doing to improve the situation? ... 1⃣ National Beekeeping and Honey Mission
Since the major problem is that the global demand for honey is far greater than its supply,
this initiative helped increase honey production through scientific beekeeping. ... 2⃣ Honey FPO Program
This program was inaugurated in 2020 to boost the supply of honey and provide employment to marginal farmers, unemployed women & the tribal population.
Through policy measures, the govt is working towards achieving the goal of ‘sweet mission’ in India. ... Moreover, NMR tests need to be mandated again and made cheaper to ensure the quality of honey being sold.
While this may increase prices in the short term, it will eventually lead to better earnings for beekeepers ... — and the Indian consumer can rest assured that the honey they are buying is free of additives.
Now is the time for the industry to tap into its potential and make for a safer, more informed honey market in India, for the world. ... If you liked this read, do RePost the 1st post and follow us @FinFloww for such reads every Monday, Wednesday and Friday! ... Get our WhatsApp newsletter: ... Subscribe to WHAT THE FLOWW?, our weekly email newsletter where we dive deeper into such concepts:
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