World-first varroa eradication advocated

Eradication of the varroa mite is estimated to be between $6m and $12m. Picture / Peter Meecham

Biosecurity officials will outline to a stakeholders' meeting on Friday the potential for a world-first eradication of varroa mites from the South Island.

Such an eradication would require all bees - both in managed hives and in feral colonies - to be wiped out not only in the 40km-50km area around Nelson known to be infested but also in a big buffer zone around it.

The meeting in Nelson will look at not only a draft eradication plan, but also an alternative draft plan for long-term management.

Estimated costs and benefits for the two alternatives will also be presented, with an eradication expected to cost between $6 million and $12 million.

"We want to stick this on the table and ask them if they can identify any errors in our figures or any gaps," Biosecurity New Zealand senior policy analyst Paul Bolger said.

"But there won't be any decision made on eradication at this meeting."

A recommendation would be made early next week to the Biosecurity New Zealand chief technical officer Peter Thomson, who would take into account the availability of funding from Government.

"If what we're envisaging involves spending a lot of money, it will require some sign-off from Government," Mr Bolger said.

"New Zealand doesn't have a bucket of money for incursions...we cover the initial costs from baseline funding and go back to Government ask for things to be topped up."

The recommendations put to the chief technical officer would not only consider the economic impacts of each option but also the social and cultural impacts.

Mr Bolger said the stakeholders' meeting would probably also tell officials what each sector would like to see happen.

The varroa mite attacks the pupae of the honeybee and ripped through the North Island after being found at South Auckland in April 2000.

Experts have estimated that spread of the mite in the South Island could cost the farming sector $10 million a year over 30 years.

Such losses would result from a lack of free crop pollination and loss of pollination of clover which puts "free" nitrogen from the air into pastures.

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) planners have estimated that if left to spread, varroa could cost the South Island between $198 million and $434 million over 32 years.

Testing of all hives associated with the original infestation is about 90 per cent complete, and testing of 8500 hives at 600 sites, belonging to 127 beekeepers, will be completed this week.

So far 41 sites have been confirmed as infected with varroa - 39 within the 10km zone around Nelson, and two at Tapawera, 30km from Nelson. Mr Bolger said the original discovery was at Stoke.

- NZPA