WESTERN PRODUCER — Mike Grysiuk, a beekeeper from Neepawa, Man., isn’t buying the “Canada first” rhetoric coming out of Ottawa.
About 20 per cent of Canadian honey imports come from two countries that are notorious for producing fraudulent honey – India and Thailand.
In 2025, importers purchased more than 2,000 tonnes of honey from those two nations and not enough is being done to crack down on fake honey entering the domestic market, says Grysiuk and the Canadian Honey Council.
“The Canadian government put a statement out … it’s Canada first. Well, why are the imports coming in?” said Grysiuk, director with the Canadian Honey Council.
“It’s not right.”
The United States has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian honey, essentially closing down that market.
On Aug. 25, Canada retaliated with its own 50 per cent tariff on American honey, dairy products and a long list of other goods, to protect Canadian businesses like beekeepers.
Statistics Canada data shows that American honey represents about seven per cent all imports. Brazil has the largest share, with 31 per cent of honey imports in 2025.
More broadly, honey imports have been on the rise, jumping by 55 per cent from 2021 to 2025.
Canada has become a net importer of honey because imports now routinely exceed exports:
- In 2025 exports were worth $53.7 million.
- Imports were $73 million last year.
Those imports translate into fewer sales and lower prices for Canadian beekeepers.
The majority of imported honey is used as an ingredien, to make food and other products, but a portion is sold on grocery store shelves.
The list of countries that sell honey to Canada include some surprises, such as Saudi Arabia.
“How would they make honey there?” Grysiuk asked.
Rod Scarlett, Canadian Honey Council executive director, used three words to explain why imported honey is gaining market share in Canada.
“Because it’s cheap.”
The reason it’s cheap is pretty simple — it’s probably not honey.
China and other countries have a history of making “honey” with rice syrup or another syrup that’s processed to resemble honey.
“India, Vietnam, Thailand are well known for exporting fraudulent honey,” Scarlett said.
Invest in fraud detection
A 50 per cent tariff on American honey will reduce imports, but a longer-term solution is needed for fraudulent honey.
In 2019, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency launched a new division, focused on food fraud.
CFIA testing has since found that 22 per cent of imported honey is fake, but more funding is needed to crack down on this sort of fraud, Scarlett said.
“Put money into that division of CFIA so a sufficient amount of testing is done,” he said.
“So when fraudulent honey is found, it’s destroyed and taken off the market.”
For Grysiuk, it’s disappointing that importers and some consumers aren’t choosing Canadian honey.
“The cheapest price wins. Always…. They’re not willing to pay for quality,” he said.
About the author
Reporter
Robert Arnason is a reporter with The Western Producer and Glacier Farm Media. Since 2008, he has authored nearly 5,000 articles on anything and everything related to Canadian agriculture. He didn’t grow up on a farm, but Robert spent hundreds of days on his uncle’s cattle and grain farm in Manitoba. Robert started his journalism career in Winnipeg as a freelancer, then worked as a reporter and editor at newspapers in Nipawin, Saskatchewan and Fernie, BC. Robert has a degree in civil engineering from the University of Manitoba and a diploma in LSJF – Long Suffering Jets’ Fan.
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