Buzz around bee course

The money's in the honey.

The new liquid gold is brown, not white and Northland is getting buzzier as more people form deep relationships with the humble bee.

Enrolments in the Kaitaia-based Lincoln University Certificate in Apiculture are up to 22 for this year's course, from eight students last year.

The 37-week course started this week and ends next March.

Kaitaia campus apiculture course administrator Paula Stapleton said the number of students has fluctuated during the six years the course has been running but there is a trend up, mirroring the higher demand nationally and globally for honey in general and manuka honey in particular. I visited Ireland last year and I could see that the shops couldn't keep up with demand.

"They were struggling to keep honey on the shelves," said Ms Stapleton, who is originally from Ireland.

Most overseas graduates return home to set up apiaries, although some stay to work in New Zealand. This year around 10 students have enrolled from Northland, with the balance coming from around the country, apart from one Bulgarian student.

She says there is a huge demand for the apiculture course, which has attracted a large number of overseas students.

"In previous years we've had students from the Philippines, China, Canada, India and Japan. Graduates exit the course highly skilled and employable in the primary sector."

Ms Stapleton identifies China and the UK as the two major markets for New Zealand honey, with strong interest from other countries such as Japan and North America.

MPI figures show honey production across the country grew from 12,353 tonnes in 2010 to 19,710 tonnes last year.

"I believe that upward trend can only continue," she said.

Ms Stapleton said an investment ofslightly more than $100,000 can buy an apiarist the gear to set up business: a truck, large shed and 100 hives at around $500 a hive.

"With that someone could expect to make between $60,000-80,000 a year if they leave their hives on one site - and around $100,000 if they are prepared to shift them around."

That includes paying around $30-$40 in rent per hive.

However, Ms Stapleton said having bees is hard work.

"The hives have to be shifted at night, and it can be long hours and heavy hard work."

One of the key focuses of the course is hive health and safety.

"When people don't know about keeping bees then that's when disease spreads."

The course has support from local iwi, and is run in partnership with Te Runanga o Te Rarawa School of Honey Gatherers.

Te Rarawa Anga Mua chairman Abraham Witana says the partnership has supported the growth of qualified apiarists in Te Rarawa, the Far North, the region and across the country.