GREAT IMPORTANCE OF HONEY INDUSTRY TO N.Z. ECONOMY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23298, 6 July 1950, Page 6

GREAT IMPORTANCE OF HONEY INDUSTRY TO N.Z. ECONOMY

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 5 “All too few people in New Zealand realise that the industry is as big as it is,” the Minister of Agriculture and Marketing, Mr. K. J. Holyoake told today’s annual conference of the National Beekeepers’ Association.

Today, he said, there were 6487 beekeepers in New Zealand, owning 11,369 apiaries, containing 174,386 hives. The value of the industry in bee stocks and plant, based on the present registered holdings, was estimated at £1,217,400. The estimated production for the year ended in March, 1950, was 4517 tons of honey and 1355 lb. of commercial beeswax. He emphasised the industry’s great importance to New Zealand’s national economy.

Referring to the seals levy the Minister said the clarification was required about the use of funds built up through the levy. He asked the meeting to decide whether the funds should be used for the benefit of the industry as a whole through advertising, equalisation of payouts, or other general industry purposes. It wa apparent, he said, that the industry still desired some form of organised marketing. The flow of GOO tons to the Auckland marketing floor so far this year indicated that the confidence of beekeepers in the organised marketing scheme was returning. However. 800 tons of honey were required for an economic operation of the plant. Further, this quantity could not be overloaded with low grades, but must contain a sufficient proportion of good qualitv to enable the plant to turn nut a satisfactory blend, concluded the Minister.