Wanganui beekeepers have taken a hit in terms of production this season, compounding problems the industry is battling.
Neil Farrer is one of a handful of commercial beekeepers in the region, and he said this season was the worst he could remember in at least 15 years.
Mr Farrer, a former vice-president, treasurer and life member of the National Beekeepers' Association, operates 200 hives. This season had been disastrous.
"There's all sorts of problems for our industry, but the main problem at the moment is we've had a disastrous honey year. It's the worst we've had for many years," he said.
Production was affected by a lot of rain in November then a period of drought and both events had a major effect on blossoms.
In his case it means his production has dropped to a quarter of its normal output.
"All the hives I've had out Fordell area normally give me beautiful clover honey. This year they've yielded virtually nothing. I've had other honeys but no clover."
Mr Farrer said he had been involved in the industry for a long time, but this was the worst season in at least 15 years.
People failed to realise that the impact was not restricted to beekeepers alone; it had impacts right across all types of farming.
He said this year people in Springvale and Gonville were complaining about little or no fruit on their trees.
"The answer is simple - there are no bees around."
Mr Farrer said it was not just climate affecting the industry. Diseases and insecticides were major problems.
Farmers had noticed a lack of feral beehives, but that had been apparent for at least five years because of varroa mite.
He said his season was indicative of what has been affecting all the other beekeepers in the region.
"And it's probably the case throughout the North Island and much of the South Island as well. The odd one has had an excellent season, but for most of us it's been very bad."
Mr Farrer said biosecurity remained a major issue and lax border controls had the potential to destroy the bee industry overnight.
He said the varroa mite was a classic example.
"That was discovered in 2000 in Auckland, and it was only a question of time before it covered the country and we're paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in treatment with no compensation. That's a biosecurity cock-up somewhere," he said.
It is estimated the varroa mite has destroyed at least 200,000 bee colonies in New Zealand.
Now Federated Farmers is taking up the battle to protect the industry.
John Hartnell, Federated Farmers' bees spokesman, said the bees were "just 500 grams away from a disaster"
Mr Hartnell said just one jar of infected Australian honey or a small hive of Asian Honey Bees entering the country would reap untold damage.
"In the space of just 10 years, we've gone from having some of the healthiest honey bees in the world to an industry under considerable pressure to maintain bee health. That's all down to biosecurity," he said.
In the past decade three of the world's most serious bee diseases had been confirmed in this country.
European Foulbrood and the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus were already in Australia, he said, and both those diseases can be carried in honey.
Mr Hartnell said the only solution was to use antibiotics in our bee colonies, which would seriously downgrade quality.
"Who wants that outcome? The answer is greater visitor education strongly matched with biosecurity vigilance and enforcement.
"Each and every day, kilograms of illegal honey are seized at the border from passengers arriving in New Zealand and each one is a potential biobomb," he said.
THE PROBLEM
- Bacteria and viruses can be transported in honey and imported pollen.
- NZ does not have European Foulbrood disease and the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus. Australia does.
- NZ does not have the pest Asian Honey Bee. Australia does.
- NZ has varroa. Australia does not.
- Varroa cannot be transported in honey, but European foulbrood and Israeli Paralysis Virus can.
Honey lack latest hit for hives
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