At 5,000 euros (US $6,800) per kilogram, ‘Elvish’ honey from Turkey
is the most expensive in the world. The special honey is extracted from a
1,800-meter deep cave in the Saricayir valley of Artvin city,
northeastern Turkey.
According to Gunay Gunduz, a local beekeeper, elvish honey is so
expensive because it is naturally produced. The mineral-rich cave
enhances the honey’s quality, adding to its value. Gunduz, whose family
has been into beekeeping for three generations, first noticed some bees
entering the cave back in 2009. That’s when he realized that it might
contain honey.
“With the help of professional climbers, we entered the deep bowels
of the cave and found 18 kilograms of honey plastered on its spherical
walls,” he said. It was later analyzed at a French lab, confirming it to
be seven-year-old, high-quality, mineral-rich honey.
The first kilogram of the honey was sold for 45,000 euros at the
French stock exchange in 2009. A year later, pharmacists from China
bought another kilogram at 28,000 euros. Currently priced at 5,000 euros
a kilogram, it is sold in bottles of 170g and 250g. In spite of the
smaller portions, Gunduz’s customers aren’t able to ignore the fact that
it costs as much as a small car.
Gunduz said that the honey can be used as medicine as well as food.
“The honey is produced in a natural way and without hives. The area is
rich in endemic and medicinal plants. All this affects the price.” In
general, Turkish honey is considered the best in the world, but Gunduz
pointed out that plagiarism and artificial honey are ruining the market.
“Today, the price of honey cannot be less than 15 euros,” he said.
What would you rather buy – a jar of honey or a car?
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