THE HONEY INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23219, 17 June 1937, Page 14

THE HONEY INDUSTRY

BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION PROBLEMS OF MARKETING (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 16. The annual conference of the Beekeepers’ Association was opened by the Minister of Agriculture (Mr W. Lee Martin), who announced his intention of asking Cabinet to draft legislation to include the honey industry within the scope of the Primary Products Marketing Act. The delegates wore welcomed to the city by the Mayor (Mr T. C. A. Hislop), and Mr Lee Martin’s address was followed by others from several departmental officers. After referring to the disastrous nature of the past season for many districts, Mr Lee Martin said the total tonnage would be perhaps somewhere in the vicinity of 1500, which was really insufficient for normal local requirements. The Minister went on to speak of the marketing Insecurity. Where the overseas market was built up in an industry it was liable to such fluctuations in yearly production that there was sometimes a large surplus foxexport and at other times insufficient for even the local market, but he was confident that most of both the local and the export problems were connected up with the insufficiency of marketing control. He wished the conference to set up a small committee to explore the whole position with Mr F. R. Picot, Director of Internal Marketing, so that as sqqn as possible he would be in a position to advise just what form legislation should take. The Minister said the activities of the apiary instructors had been well maintained in most districts, and satisfactory progress was being made in the eradication, of disease. He was hurt to see definite antagonism from some quarters to the Honey Control Board. He was giving consideration to wider franchise that might make control of the industry more mddmocratic. THE SEASON’S PAY-OUT STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN OF BOARD (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 16. The amount of the season’s pay-out was announced by the chairman of the Honey Control Board (Mr J. R. Rutland) at the conference of the National Beekeepers’ Association to-day. Mr Rutland said that, although the final accounts had not yet been received, the board had decided at a meeting on Tuesday on a further 2Jd per lb, pro rata, which would bring the 1936 season’s pay-out up to 6id. During the past year, Mr Rutland said, the board was able, after long negotiations and with the help of various organisations, to bring about a reduction in honey freights, the effect , of which would become evident during the current season. ACTION OF BOARD APPROVED PURCHASE OF AUSTRALIAN HONEY (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 16. An emphatic denial that Australian honey had been blended with New Zealand and exported to the British market as New Zealand honey was given by the chairman of the Honey Control Board (Mr J. R. Rutland) to the, National Beekeepers’ Association to-day-There had been some misleading and inaccurate statements circulated in connection with Australian honey, Mr Rutland said. The board had certain contracts with manufacturers, and early this season, when reports indicated record crops, would have welcomed further contracts. The particular contracts under review at present had been held for some time, and they offered excellent returns and a convenient method of keeping New Zealand honey away from other packers. The board was committed .to these contracts and, foreseeing the possibility of a shortage m the regular pack requirements, it was anxious to divert every available pound of New Zealand honey into the packing depot to sell it through the most profitable channel. It was, therefore, decided to explore the possibilities of securing honey which would be acceptable in the executiqn of the contracts, thereby conserving New Zealand honey for the packing business. After searching through the honeys m Australia, the board was able to secure 100 tons, and an over a further parcel whjch it had not yet exercised. Not a pound of that honey was ever put into “Imperial Bee" nor would it ever be sold as New Zealand honey, Mr Rutland declared. The price at which the honey was bought would show a profit to the board. Apart from the profit, the contract had to be fulfilled. It would make available more honeys for the “ Imperial Bee pack, and consequently would increase the pool returns. After a long discussion the meeting unanimously carried a motion, expressing complete confidence in the Honey Control Board and satisfaction with the results it had achieved, and endorsing the board’s action In regard to the Australian honey transaction.