Average USDA wholesale honey price each year, indexed to 2017. The whole market in one line. 2026 reflects Jan–Jun only, so it runs low (it misses the pricier fall months).
The Markup Meter · retail ÷ wholesale
How many times the USDA wholesale price you pay at retail — the honest answer to “am I overpaying?” Small jars and brand premiums stack on top of a commodity that trades near $2.70/lb.
Honeydew18.8× · $1.42→$26.67
Lehua12.3× · $1.85→$22.81
Sunflower11.2× · $1.49→$16.68
Mangrove10.1× · $1.85→$18.67
Tupelo9.9× · $2.00→$19.80
Brazilian Pepper8.9× · $1.80→$15.95
Mesquite8.8× · $1.38→$12.20
Toyon8.7× · $1.70→$14.71
Horsemint8.6× · $2.61→$22.33
Basswood7.7× · $2.15→$16.50
Eucalyptus7.7× · $1.68→$13.00
Wildflower7.3× · $1.64→$11.99
The Import Undercut · US vs imported wholesale
US-produced honey costs $0.63/lb more than imported, year after year (47% on average) — the gap behind the “buy local vs. buy cheap” debate.
When to buy · seasonal low points
Each line is a honey’s price across the calendar, with the multi-year inflation trend removed — so the dips are genuine seasonal lows, not noise. Tap a honey to compare up to three.
Gallberry: cheapest in May (-26.2% vs its yearly avg), priciest in Oct — a 37.4% swing.
Sunflower: cheapest in May (-14.1% vs its yearly avg), priciest in Nov — a 34.2% swing.
Texas Tallow Tree: cheapest in Feb (-21% vs its yearly avg), priciest in May — a 27.6% swing.
Only honeys with enough history (≥10 months across several years) are shown; thin varietals are hidden rather than guessed.
Color pays · avg $/lb by USDA grade
Extra Light Amber (765)$2.04/lb
White (1461)$1.89/lb
Dark Amber (47)$1.82/lb
Light Amber (1716)$1.77/lb
Amber (435)$1.72/lb
Extra Light (608)$1.65/lb
Lighter, clearer honey generally commands more per pound — the same color grades shown on every listing card.
Where the cheap honey comes from · imported wholesale
Vietnam (138)$1.07/lb
India (522)$1.14/lb
Ukraine (150)$1.24/lb
Uruguay (134)$1.47/lb
Argentina (495)$1.57/lb
Canada (137)$1.70/lb
Brazil (429)$1.73/lb
Zambia (3)$1.76/lb
Mexico (101)$1.89/lb
Hungary (2)$3.37/lb
Wild vs steady · price volatility
Wildflower (1783)±$0.59 · $1.66 avg
Sunflower (186)±$0.50 · $1.47 avg
Mustard (201)±$0.33 · $1.10 avg
Honeydew (46)±$0.44 · $1.57 avg
Mint (40)±$0.50 · $1.95 avg
Soybean (56)±$0.50 · $2.14 avg
Canola (273)±$0.43 · $1.99 avg
Clover (712)±$0.43 · $1.96 avg
Buckwheat (165)±$0.43 · $2.02 avg
Texas Tallow Tree (86)±$0.43 · $2.05 avg
Ranked by coefficient of variation. Volatile honeys reward timing your buy; steady ones are easier to budget.
USDA figures are wholesale/bulk commodity prices from the National Honey Report (2019→present); community figures are retail listings. The gap is pack size + brand markup — quantified in the Markup Meter above.