EXPORT HONEY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23053, 2 June 1938, Page 14

EXPORT HONEY

MARKETING CONTROL GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS GRADING AND PAY-OUT ENDORSEMENT BY CONFERENCE [by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] TIMARU, Wednesday New proposals for Government control of marketing export honey were outlined by Mr. H. Honey field, representative of the Internal Marketing Division, at the annual conference _of the National Beekeepers' Association to-day. Mr. Honeyfield said that the proposals which were receiving favourable consideration were: —(1) Hie grading system will be modified and the payout based on points for flavour and colour, with a special penalty on honey below the British standard of cleanliness, grade values to approximate those at present applying, but to be modified if experience warrants. Plan for Central Depot (2) Honey may be sent to a central depot either liquid or granulated, but liquid or semi-liquid honey for the first year shall bo subject to a deduction of l-16d per lb. to defray the extra costs of handling. Liquid or semi-liquid honey must be sent to the department in special tins, for which specifications will bo given. Honey will bo accepted by the department from December to July 31. (3) In order to have fundamental marketing statistics maiji producers will be. required at the end of March in each year to forward a return giving the approximate amount of honey they expect to supply, any variation to be advised by the end of April. (4) It is proposed that the producer will put honey in trucks at the nearest railway station for railage to the nearest port or to the central packing depot, whichever is the nearer. Coastal freights to the depot will be paid by the department. Unless road deliveries are more suitable and more economical all honey will require to be sent through the Railway Department, which will then contract to have the honey forwarded by the cheapest route. Avoiding Storage Charges (5) Wijth all honey coming to the central depot storage charges previously debited to the producer will be avoided. (6) Receiving and delivering charges previously debited to the producer will be eliminated. (7) It is hoped the Department of Agriculture will grade honey weekly at the central depot, thereby avoiding double handling and making possible prompt cash advances by the Internal Marketing Division. (8) As there is difficulty in getting to producers infornuuion ot a technical or marketing nature, it is hoped that a Journal or possibly a portion of the Journal of Agriculture will be used in order that the correct information can bo regularly disseminated among producers. The conference endorsed the proposals and asked that the Government put them into effect with the least possible delay.