Juniper Harvest in Macedionia
Tommy has recently returned from Macedonia where the Juniper harvest is well underway.
2026 Macedonian Juniper Crop
The Balkans, like most of Europe, experienced extremely hot temperatures throughout the summer with little rainfall. In Macedonia, there were 46 x consecutive days without rain this summer. This results in smaller berries due to the lack of moisture.
The quality of the berries from the early lots that Tommy has seen is extremely encouraging. The moisture content off the hill has been around 28-30% and initial tests show a high volatile content.
Covering Demand
Yields are significantly lower than in 2025 which will cause some issues in supply. It is a huge relief that demand is not at it’s high peaks of 2021-2023 as this would put considerable pressure on sourcing. Luckily, Beacon Commodities started to purchase early on in the season so should be able to cover their demand.
Higher Processing Costs
Unfortunately, Macedonia and the Balkans are as susceptible as us all to the increasing costs of transportation, processing and drying. This will reflect in the crop price for 2026. An unavoidable factor.
Forest Fires
There were fewer forest fires this summer throughout Macedonia. This is the result of active management.
The Government Authorities put in place restricted access to the mountains during peak summer (1st July onwards) and are now using drones for early detection. Most fires are started by visitors to the mountains and the policing/management of these individuals are imperative. This is something they are expanding and developing every year.
Please feel free to contact either Tommy or Michael direct to discuss any of the above points in greater detail.
Tommy can be contacted on either +44 7900 244 939 or tommy@beaconcommodities.co.uk
Michael can be contacted on either +44 7500 899 737 or michael@beaconcommodities.co.uk
