HONEY SUPPLIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26229, 13 August 1946, Page 4

HONEY SUPPLIES

NO PRICE INCREASES REASONS FOR SHORTAGE We have received the letter which follows from Mr J. McFadzien, of Outram: “ The statement iff Saturday's Daily Times on honey supplies leaves the impression that honey producers are not giving the city people a fair spin. If a black market exists, even on a very small scale, it is to be deplored, but it is not the main reason for the scarcity of honey in the cities. First of all, it should be realised that honey, which is always popular as a valuable natural food, is to-day in unusual demand in every home as a sweetening agent during the shortage of sugar. The supply is insufficient to satisfy this demand. Actually a considerable amount of honey has been retailed in Dunedin, but even if a normal supply were available it would soon disappear on the present market. “It is true, however, that the cities are receiving only a small share of honey, and the reason is simple enough. In spite of the upward trend of price levels, the price, of honey today is exactly the same as it was six years ago. It is difficult to name another product which has been granted neither an increase in price nor a subsidy to meet rising costs of production over this period. Consequently the honey producer is forced to supply his nearest market in order to receive as large a share as possible of the legitimate retail value of his product. This means that the city market is to some extent neglected because the channels which supply it are long and heavily loaded with costs.

“ In the egg industry a subsidy was introduced to give producers a satisfactory return through the central egg floors, but no such assistance has been given in the case of honey, and those who forward supplies for the city markets do so at considerable sacrifice. Beekeepers do not want highly inflated prices, but if costs rise underneath the producer, then he must move up with them or go out of existence.