RIO DE JANEIRO, July 14 -- Brazil's leading organic honey exporter Prodapys is now eyeing the Chinese market after its products have created quite a buzz there.

"The Chinese market has a huge demand for organic honey with high quality. Although we have not exported to China directly, I hope we can provide Chinese consumers with our best products in the future," Prodapys' director Celio Marcos da Silva told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Prodapys, founded in 1977 and now a leading organic honey producer in Brazil, exports most of its products to the United States. But the company sees China as a huge emerging market for its next development stage.

"Brazilian honey is very good, and cheaper than that from New Zealand. Every time when I went back to China, I bought some for my parents and friends," said Wang Ying, who works in Huawei's Brazil branch.

Brazil exported 25,000 tons of honey in 2014 worth 98.5 million U.S. dollars, a whopping 82 percent more than in 2013. Still, Brazil is currently only the world's eighth-largest honey exporter, and is looking to exploit its potential for growth, according to the Brazilian Association of Honey Exporters (ABEMEL).

Brazil exports most of its honey to the United States, which accounts for 75 percent of the country's entire exports. Germany is in distant second place, receiving 7 percent of the exports, followed by Canada with 5 percent and Britain with 5 percent.

China is still a relatively small market right now compared with the U.S. and European markets, but the reputation of Brazilian honey products is growing among Chinese consumers.

One of the most attractive kinds of Brazil's honey products is the organic type, which is giving Brazil a competitive advantage, since demand for organic and natural products is growing internationally. And organic honey can fetch 30 percent more per kilo.

There are strict regulations regarding organic products, said Nezio Medeiros, president of the Santa Catarina Federation of Honey Producers.

"It can't be near GM (genetically modified) crops, industrial activity or orchards sprayed with pesticide," Angenor Sartori, director of Miramel, an organic honey producer, said about the production of organic honey.

In addition, he said, "the machinery and extraction process for honey are also regulated. From the beekeeper to the honey consumer, there is a regulatory process to guarantee that it is truly organic."

Besides organic honey, the international market is also interested in Brazilian propolis. Thanks to the abundance of wild plants there, it is of excellent quality and has many medicinal properties.

"To me, propolis is very effective to cure mouth ulcers. Sometimes, I also apply it to treat minor skin injuries," said Wang, who believes propolis helps fight infections and boosts the immune system and always keeps propolis at home.

Brazilian beekeepers have developed a removable propolis screen where bees can deposit this bee resin or glue. The screens, or grids, make it easier to harvest the propolis without having to scrape the hives and contaminate the product with wood shavings. Brazil's beekeepers are using the method to extract a more high-quality product.

"It's the most perfect, most hygienic and cleanest method. Pure propolis," said 50-year-old beekeeper Jovets da Silva.

In addition to the traditional honey products, Prodapys has also developed a series of products made of other raw materials.

"We always use all the raw materials of the beehive: honey, beeswax, propolis, bee venom and pollen," Prodapys' director said, adding that the company now has a line of beauty and medicinal products in sophisticated packaging.

"Our products have won many Chinese customers. A lot of travelers and business people from China bought our products and brought them back as gifts. I believe our products will be available in China soon," he said.