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HONEY

Released: March 2003

NEW YORK HONEY PRODUCTION INCREASES

Honey production from beekeepers with five or more hives in New York totaled 5.88 million pounds during 2002, according to the New York Agricultural Statistics Service. This total is up 58 percent from the 2001 production of 3.71 million pounds.

The 2002 production was extracted from 60,000 colonies, up 13 percent from the 53,000 colonies in 2001. Honey yield per colony averaged 98 pounds, 40 percent above the 2001 yield. Honey stocks on hand across the State as of December 15, 2002 totaled 2.47 million pounds, an increase of 39 percent from the 1.78 million pounds a year earlier.

Prices received by beekeepers in New York averaged 117.0 cents per pound for all methods of sale during 2002, 48 percent more than the 2001 average price of 79.0 cents. Value of honey production for the State in 2002 totaled $6.88 million, compared with $2.93 million in 2001.

United States honey production for 2002 for producers with five or more hives totaled 171 million pounds, down 8 percent from 2001. The number of producing colonies is estimated at 2.52 million, a total which contains a limited amount of duplication due to interstate movement of bees by multi-state operators. The yield per colony averaged 67.8 pounds, down 8 percent from the 74.0 pounds in 2001.

Average prices received by beekeepers across the Nation increased to a record level of 128.6 cents per pound, up 83 percent from 70.4 cents in 2001. The value of the 2002 U.S. honey crop is estimated at $221.6 million. Mid-December stocks of honey for sale amounted to 39.0 million pounds, 40 percent less than the 64.6 million pounds on hand December 15, 2001. The 39.0 million pounds represents 18 percent of the 2002 production. Stocks on hand a year earlier amounted to 35 percent of production

HONEY: Number of Colonies, Yield, Production, Stocks, Price, and Value, by State and United States, 2002 1/

 State   Honey Producing Colonies   Yield per Colony   Production   Stocks 

Dec. 15 2/

  Average 

Price per Pound 3/

  Value of Production 
 1,000    Pounds    1,000 Pounds    Cents    1,000 Dollars  
  AL    12    86    1,032    103   111    1,146 
  AZ    38    63    2,394    1,197   110    2,633 
  AR    55    88    4,840    1,065   124    6,002 
  CA    440    53    23,320    3,498   129    30,083 
  CO    24    60    1,440    576   122    1,757 
  FL    220    93    20,460    2,026   112    22,915 
  GA    50    52    2,600    52   110    2,860 
  HI    7   136    952    29   110    1,047 
  ID    100    57    5,700    1,653   135    7,695 
  IL    9    80    720    130   142    1,022 
  IN    8    62    496    233   114    565 
  IA    33    70    2,310    901   137    3,165 
  KS    17    52    884    407   156    1,379 
  KY    3    54    162    47   165    267 
  LA    35   124    4,340    347   114    4,948 
  ME    11    41    451    266   121    546 
  MD    3    46    138    21   175    242 
  MI    72    77    5,544    1,885   134    7,429 
  MN    117    73    8,541    1,110   142    12,128 
  MS    18    78    1,404    281   118    1,657 
  MO    18    53    954    200   137    1,307 
  MT    134    63    8,442    1,097   135    11,397 
  NE    43    75    3,225    1,161   145    4,676 
  NV    9    62    558    61   227    1,267 
  NJ    10    35    350    74    98    343 
  NM    11    44    484    252   109    528 
  NY    60    98    5,880    2,470   117    6,880 
  NC    14    51    714    86   136    971 
  ND    320    75    24,000    8,160   142    34,080 
  OH    16    81    1,296    518   140    1,814 
  OK    3    53    159    51   160    254 
  OR    39    49    1,911    803   128    2,446 
  PA    18    57    1,026    513   130    1,334 
  SC    5    94    470    14   125    588 
  SD    225    51    11,475    2,410   140    16,065 
  TN    8    61    488    137   137    669 
  TX    114    67    7,638    985   109    8,325 
  UT    22    59    1,298    208   129    1,674 
  VT    7    89    623    274   119    741 
  VA    7    38    266    69   186    495 
  WA    44    51    2,244    494   125    2,805 
  WV    9    51    459    151   137    629 
  WI    70    95    6,650    2,461   130    8,645 
  WY    38    63    2,394    383   139    3,328 
  Other States 4/ 5/    8    51    408    188   218    891 
  U.S. 5/    2,524    68   171,140   39,047   129   221,638 
1/ For producers with 5 or more colonies. Colonies which produced honey in more than one State were counted in each State.
2/ Stocks held by producers.
3/ Prices weighted by sales.
4/ CT, DE, MA, NH, and RI not published separately to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. 
5/ Total colonies multiplied by total yield may not exactly equal production.