Beekeepers have welcomed Government approval of free chemical treatment for beehives affected by the Varroa bee mite infestation, but say it should go further.
The cabinet last week approved the use of limited prophylactic, or preventive, treatment for eligible hives.
These include hives known to be infected, or with a high probability of being infected; all hives being moved on to pollination sites with known Varroa jacobsoni infestations; or where there is a high risk of Varroa spread.
The National Beekeepers' Association said the cabinet decision was timely given that hive movements would soon increase as horticultural pollination got under way.
"[The treatment] will go a good way to mitigating the danger of Varroa spread during the moving of pollination hives," said association spokesman Lin McKenzie.
But he said the risks could be further reduced by extending eligibility to all pollination hives in the same area as hives that came from high-risk areas.
The mite was first found in South Auckland beehives in April. Infestations are prevalent around Auckland, Pukekohe and the Hauraki Plains as a result of natural spread. It has spread to several outlying sites and wild bees are also infected.
- NZPA
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