Honey to be dearer

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33435, 17 January 1974, Page 3

Honey to be dearer

ir ,(N.Z. Press Association) January 16. s Retail honey prices are I likely to rise as a result of an increase of 3!c per lb in the basic average pay-out to beekeepers for honey supplied to the Honey Marketing Authority during' the 1973-74 season. An increase in the basic

pay out to an average of 23-p (4c per lb or 52c a kilogram ] I for all grades has been 1 , (agreed to by the Govern-1 ment, it was anounced today! ~ in Auckland by the Honey" fiMarketing Authority. r( A request last year by the ' .(Minister of Agriculture(Mr /Moyle) for the authority to I ’■limit its pay out to 20c ang-' ’(ered beekeepers, and led to 1 fla series of discussions on a ll jinew price formula. Overseas sales were good, ( and the authority had a particularly good trading year

and could have increased th, pay out appreciably. Instead the surplus went, to a re serve account, which nov stands at $496,500 comparei with .$159,000 a year earlier. Under the new formul: beekeepers will be paid < basic minimum price. Monej will be drawn from the re serve account if the realis ations of the authority d( not reach 52c a kilogram. When realisations exceet 52c the pay out will be in creased according to a scale but the maximum will bi 55c a kilogram, and this wil be payable only if realis ations ' reach. 58c or more Any surplus will go to th< reserve account. Beekeepers will receivi additional incentive pay ments for quality and earl; delivery. The Under-Secretary o Agriculture (Mr Barclay) ha: suggested that the basil price be reviewed annually and that it be altered only i there is justification for < variation of not less than 2i a kilogram upward or down ward. Honey has lately been it short supply in Aucklam shops, but more is expectet to be available by nex month. Radiography success.— Miss C. A. Rowley, Christ church School of Radio graphy. was successful in th< part I, diagnostic, examina tions of the Society o: Radiographers (London) hel< in October.