The honey market in Israel is unduly regulated, imposing major restrictions on economic freedom in this field. Beekeeping, the production of honey and even the possession of bee hives require special licenses. The authority to provide these licenses is held exclusively by a private corporation – The Israel Honey Board. Additional restrictions in this market include a prohibitively high import tax on honey, as well as licensing requirements for the accumulation and marketing of honey products. The current regime forbids those who are not licensed by the Israel Honey Board from selling honey products to consumers, although in practice this barrier to trade is not enforced.
Research paper – regulation of the honey industry in Israel (Hebrew)