Comvita partnership sees 3000 hives on trust land

A new partnership will see 3000 hives placed on land around the Southern Taupo area in a new joint venture limited partnership between East Taupo Lands Trust and global health products company Comvita.

The hives will be placed on land in the Southern Taupo area and will begin producing for the upcoming honey season.

Kaimanawa Honey GP will have beekeeping operations to harvest manuka honey from the vast land holdings owned by ETLT.

Comvita will provide the beekeeping equipment and management systems required for running large-scale beekeeping operations and ETLT will lease the land sites to the joint venture.

Together the partners will further develop the land resource and beekeeping techniques, unique to the South Taupo region, with the aim to optimise Manuka honey production.

Comvita chief executive officer Brett Hewlett said the joint venture combined the abundance of natural resources in the South Taupo region provided by ETLT with Comvita's marketing capabilities and 40 years of international branding experience.

"This is a real milestone event for the evolving relationships between Comvita and Iwi landowners.

"Together we can grow, sustainably, and together we share in the value created."

ETLT chairman Jim Maniapoto said it was not so long ago that manuka trees on Maori land blocks were being cut down for firewood.

"Today we recognise the value of manuka and the initiatives offered by Comvita."

He said the partnership and the development of Kaimanawa Honey GP would realise education and income opportunities for New Zealanders.