MARKETING OF HONEY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21454, 30 March 1933, Page 13

MARKETING OF HONEY

Sir, —The conclusions of Mr. E. A. Clayton re tho overseas marketing of honey call for a few correction's. He stated that the levy made by the Honey Board is "to be used to make good tho losses made by the Honey Producers' Association. This is ridiculously untrue. The levy is to be made to raise funds to purchase for the honey industry of tho Dominion the "Imperial Bee" brand held as an asset by th» liquidator of the defunct Honey Producers' Association. By a largo expenditure upon advertising and organisation in Great Britain, tho Honey Producers' Association made the "Imperial Bee" brand of honey one of the bestknown of New Zealand's primary products. This expenditure gradually built up a large, stablo market for 500 tons of New Zealand honey at a price that, gave a premium of 2d per lb. above the honey of all other countries marketing in Britain. When the Honey Producers' Association went into liquidation the "Imperial Bee" brand was one of the company's assets and was for sale for £IO,OOO. Practically the whole of the New Zealand honey was marketed in Britain under this brand. As a result of the personal efforts of the Honey Board's representative, Mr. J. R. Butland (to whom beekeepers owe a deep debt of gratitude), the brand was bought for £6OOO and is now the proporty of the honey industry of New Zealand, being vested in tho board, which will use the brand for future marketing of honey. The soundness and urgency of this action cannot be disputed. As the result of the further efforts of Mr. Butland, a spreading of the payment of tho £6OOO over several years has been arranged, and a reduction of tho levy down to one farthing per lb. is practically assured. The annual export levy for advertising for tho past few years has been Id per lb., and as the only levy this year will be in regard to the brand, producers exporting their honey will be Jcl per lb. better off than formerly in this respect. The "losses?" made by the Honey Producers' Association have created ill-informed comment. The word "losses" should not be used, as tho "deficiencies" 011 the balance-sheet were caused by over-payment to shareholdersuppliers of the company. These deficiencies have gone as over-payments to develop and build up the industry in an amazing manner—from 80.000 hives of bees to 110,000 in a few years. P. A. Hillary. President National Beekeepers' Association of New Zealand.