EXPORT OF HONEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 40, 16 February 1929, Page 4

EXPORT OF HONEY.

THE SEASON'S OUTPUT

AUCKLAND PROVINCE LEADS

In the production of honey for export, Auckland Province occupies a leading position in a trade that is steadily increasing. In a report recently issued, Mr. John Rentoul, chairman of the Honey Control Board, says: — "A correct estimate of the current season's production is not yet possible, but prospects indicate that the crop will be rather less than last year, owing to the unsettled climatic conditions during the earlier part of the season. Production capacity is steadily increasing and we can anticipate a corresponding increase in the average amount to be disposed of from year to year. The proportionate production of various districts is indicated by the amount of honey passing through the various grade stores, which for 1928 was as follows:—Auckland, 10,499 cases; Bluff, 1280; Dunedin, 1677; Greymouth, 1220; Lyttelton. 1894: New Plymouth, 1879: Timaru, 2804; Wellington. ISBB.

"To make the proportion correct, 640 cases require to be deducted from Auckland and added to this amount having been trausiV. .1 from the latter store to the former.

"The total export of bulk honey for 1928 was 2,306.0651b. As is the rule in good seasons, the honey was for the most part a high quality, white honeys being in larger proportion than usual and making nearly 50 per ccut of the total. At the same time the proportion of rejects for various causes was unduly large, being 9 per cent of the total submitted. In most cases the cause of rejection was due to faults in handling at the apiaries." Marketing Conditions. Claiming that extended advertising and propaganda have already resulted in the amount of sales being doubled at, for the most x>art, previous prices, the report continues: —

"The policy of selling all the honey possible in retail packages is proving a sound policy. While the sales of bulk honey have risen proportionately with those of packed lines, due in large measure to other packers of New Zealand honey benefiting by the publicity campaign, there is still a decided limit to the amount of bulk which cau be sold to make returns equal to that of the packed honey. It is difficult to make sales at prices competitive with other imported honeys on account of the low price at which these are ottered. The Intermountain States Association of the U.S.A., controlling honey from eight Western States, and responsible for a large portion of the export from that country, have fixed their selling price for the current year at 7h& cents (3?id) f.o.b. shipping points, for all honey for Europe, United Kingdom and other outside countries. Germany is a large importer of honey in bulk, her imports last year amounting to 17,234,8001b, which is mostly obtained from United States, Canada, Russia, Chile, Mexico, San Domingo and Gautemala. The honey required is light amber and the price offering is round about 4d per lb Hamburg or Bremen. This price would net us about 3'/2d per lb f.0.b., so that Germany does not offer us a market at the price which we require for bulk sales. Sales of our packed honey in Germany are, however, growing, and the development of this class of business will be much more remunerative. Care in Packing. ''Many producers suffer considerable loss through faults in packing. Among other causes of loss are cases made of green or wet timber, rusty or discoloured tins, excessive froth, sour honey. Excessive froth is a serious fault in packing, in that fermentative changes take place in the froth and render the honey practically useless and in every case unfit for expqfrt. It has cost a lot to build up a reputation for our honey and every effort should be made to preserve and enhance that reputation, both by attention to appearance and quality."