EXPORTATION OF HONEY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 98, 1 June 1914, Page 5

EXPORTATION OF HONEY.

GOOD PROSPECTS.

It is now just about a year since the -first export of honey was sent from Canterbury through the Department of Agriculture, and Mr L. Bowman, ; Apfiary Instructor, had some interesting .remarks to make to a SUN representative this morning in regard to the in- ■ dustry, and beekeeping in general.

EXPORT TRADE.

In May of last year the first organised .shipments of honey were made through the Department of Agriculture. \At .that time Canterbury honey was fetchling about £37 10/-, a ton, while the price . has now risen to £45 and £46, and there .have been odd consignments commanding as much as £SO per ton, practically equal to the price got in the Home jjiarket for English honey. |The increase in price may be largely to the fact that Government jfiglrading came into vogue in May of last year, and since that time something like 1600 cases have been exported from the Canterbury province. This month some •320 cases, about £7OO worth, will be ..shipped on the Tainui for Monte Video in South America, and London and , Liverpool. Another reason for "the increase of price is because of the active steps taken by the Department of. Agriculture in bringing in the Apiaries . Act, and instructing the keepers along up-to-date lines as to the best methods of preparing honey for the market. From the beekeeper's point of view it pays better to send a good quality honey, as it will always command a ready sale and good prices, whereas if honey of a poor quality is sent it costs just as much to produce, does not have such a ready sale, and commands such poor prices that the profit will be reduced to a minimum.

The producers want to take more 'care in classifying their honey, and the 'quality would be much improved if the skum on the honey were carefully removed, as the removal would ensure against points being lost in the grading. The honey for export is packed attractively in cases containing 1 cwt each. Each "case is stamped with the Government brand, showing the grade, while the honey itself is placed in tins, each containing 561b 'weight. There is every encouragement for beekeepers to continue the export trade. The Canterbury producers are keeping the quality well up to the mark, and buyers are obtaining confidence in them, so that better prices are being obtained, together with repeat orders.

' Merchants also have taken a live interest in the export, and this fact should, undoubtedly help the industry along, while it also goes to prove that it is no longer a little country hobby, but is assuming commercial value. BOX HIVES. ■ -There are still a good mimber of beekeepers in the country districts, who persist in keeping their bees in oldfashioned box hives without frames. It is now illegal to do this, and anyone keeping bees in this manner is liable to prosecution without notice. SEASONABLE HINTS.

At this season of the year it should be seen that all hive roofs are watertight, and that the quilts are dry. The bees should be disturbed as little as possible until spring, but if they appear to be running short of stores a good sized cake of candy ghould be placed under the quilts. A piece of ■jvire should also be inserted occasionally at the entrance of the hive to remove any dead bees, otherwise a blockage may be caused and the bees become suffocated.