From year to year, the global production of honey is continuously growing, but the honey producers and other stakeholders around the world and in Europe face similar processes and difficulties that are destroying the honey market. It would be necessary to reduce counterfeiting, improve the bee health situation, operate a comprehensive database and monitoring system, and provide extensive support to beekeepers. In order to ensure the sustainability of the beekeeping sector, it is necessary to develop and apply good agricultural practices, and in order to preserve biodiversity, related rural development programs and measures are needed. If the sector stabilizes (in Hungary, in EU-28 and worldwide), the long-term sustainability of beekeeping can be achieved; its ecological significance can be protected, and the rural retention role of the countryside may be strengthened in honey-producing countries. The aim of the study is to map the EU and Hungary honey production and trade with the help of relevant literature and statistics, and to present the current situation, difficulties and challenges of the honey market. After analyzing the market situation and sectoral processes, a SWOT matrix has been created including the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the beekeeping sector. Then we made recommendations to improve the current situation in the beekeeping sector.

JEL Code: M31