THE HONEY CROP

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 79, 3 April 1943, Page 6

THE HONEY CROP

PURCHASE BY STATE

MR. BARCLAY. ON THE PRICE

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day. "The Government's stabilisation plan has been fully observes in the price arrangement made for the purchase of honey during the present season," said the Minister of Marketing, Mr. Barclay, to-night. Honey was one of the original 38 stabilised lines announced in 1940 and after very careful examination of the average returns secured by producers throughout the Dominion it was decided that the prices finally announced by the Price Tribunal were fair and reasonable.

'In the case of South Island honey the producers' price payable by the Department in bulk is approximately 6.73 d per lb, not 5Jd as quoted by several members of the Canterbury branch of the National Beekeepers' Association. In the case of honey packed by producers on behalf of the Department a payment equivalent to 8.97 d will be made. The Department will also meet the cost of the levy stamp, equivalent to a further halfpenny a pound. If producers have been securing prices exceeding the price order level during the past year they have virtually been operating on a black market or have been securing particular market preferences not available to producers generally. "As I previously stated, the community as a whole has definite rights in this matter. Through the Government it has supported beekeepers with special preferences in respect to sugar, tyres, benzine and manpower, and is entitled to receive a share of the honey crop after priorities have been met at prices which are reasonable and at the same time fair to the grower."