HONEY MARKETING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23516, 2 June 1938, Page 12

HONEY MARKETING

COMPREHENSIVE NEW SCHEME ENDORSED BY PRODUCERS GOVERNMENT URGED TO ACT (Per United Press Association) TIMARU, June 1. New proposals for the Government control of the marketing and export of honey were outlined by Mr H. Honeyfield, representative of the internal marketing division at the annual conference of the National Beekeepers Association to-day. Mr Honeyfield said the proposals, which were receiving favourable consideration, were as follows: — 1. The grading system will be modified and the pay-out 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.

2. The honey may be sent to a central depot either liquid or granulated, but liquid or semi-liquid honey for the first year shall be subject to a deduction of one-sixteenth pence per pound to defray the exti’a costs of handling. Liquid or semi-liquid honey must be sent to the department in special tins, for which speculations will be given. Honey will be accepted by the department from December to July 31. 3. In order to have fundamental marketing statistics, the main 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 the 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 Railways Department, which will then contract to have the honey forwarded by the cheapest route. 5. With all honey coming to the central depot, the storage charges previously debited to the producer will be avoided.

6. The receiving, delivering, and wiring charges previously debited to the producer will be eliminated. 7. It is hoped that the Department of Agriculture will grade the 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 information to producers of a technical or marketing nature, it is hoped that a journal, or a portion of, possibly, the Journal of Agriculture, will be used in order that correct information can be regularly disseminated amongst, the producersThe conference endorsed the proposals, and asked that the Government put them into effect with the least possible delay.