A Whanganui beekeeper is launching a new business in response to the high honey demand.
Michael Brandon, founder of Canaan Apiaries 2016, said New Zealand had more than doubled its number of beehives in the past 15 years from 300,000 to almost 700,000, and the Whanganui region had an active beekeeping community.
"It is becoming quite popular for people to have beehives on the property and getting a beekeeper to visit the hive regularly," he said.
However, there were issues with people keeping a hive on their personal property.
"A person might pay $500 a year to the beekeeper and only receive 10 kilograms of honey worth $160 - it doesn't make sense.