BRITAIN'S HONEY SUPPLY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 6, 8 January 1925, Page 5

BRITAIN'S HONEY SUPPLY

NEW COMPETITOR FOR NEW

ZEALAND.

(fROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON,. 3rd December. ! It is perhaps jusfc as well that New Zealand honey has already made something of a name for itself, tor Canada seems to have taken a leaf out of New Zealand's book arid organised her honey industry/with the result that whereas she was able only to export 513,0381bs last year, 1 she has this year, according to' .the Dominion' Apiarist, 6,000,0001bs for export; Messrs. A;'J. Mills and Co., who are the sole agents in-England for New Zealand honey, inform me that Canadian honey is certainly a competitor of New Zealand honey, and,is likely to become very much more so in a few years'' time, but they are holding their own with the New Zealand produce, and hope to continue to do so. Bee pools or "co-operative societies for honey marketing have been organised iv Ontario and" Quebec,; and such is the status of the industry .in Western Canada that tho Coast and fiairie Provinces are expected to have similar organisations in operation' before the end "of. the season.'The next logical and oxpected step in 'the organisation; and the keystone of the" enterprise, will in all- probability be a central selling organisation. With these arrangements completed, according to the plans of the,authorities, it is expected that the Canadian, honey industry will be established on a permanent and profitable basis. As soon as the market price can:be standardised the supply will be assured, and the honey trade will be an important factor among the wealthproducing' commodities of the Dominion. Last year British Columbia, in an adverse season, accounted for a production" of more than 500,0001bs orhoney. The production in Manitoba, where the growth of the industry has been' phenor menal, was substantially in excess .'of 3,000,0001b. Saskatchewan in that year produced 121,6001b, arid Alberta is also' achieving'a worth T while production. The aggregate value of the honey crop in Ontario in 1923 was slightly less than 1,----000,000 dollars. There are in the province about 7000 honey producers, but of these only about 600 depend upon the industry for the greater part of their income.' In 1923 the Province of Qiip'iec had 7199. beekeepers, which included 1045 who were registered for the first time in that year.' Their'production was 3,393,8261b of honey, and 41 4591b of wax, worth: 1,983,051 dollars. The annual average in Quebec for the past seven years has been 6095 beekeepers, with 68,770 colonies, accounting for a production of 2,617 9921b of honey, and 29,8781b of wax, with a value of 1 405 - 025.45 dollars. . ' ' .

This afternoon a man interested^n tlie West Indian honey production remarked to me: "We are going to cut you right out!" ■'.;■.