Apiculture in New Zealand is currently in a state of flux, with so many competing interests in a relatively small industry it is unsurprising that we beekeepers cannot reach a consensus.
There is a saying amongst beekeepers – ask five beekeepers a question and you’ll receive six and a half answers. This highlights the idea that beekeepers often have differing opinions from each other and even with themselves. NZ’s national beekeeping organisation has morphed from NBA to APINZ almost ten years ago; only recently APINZ was to wind up with a loss of confidence, but they have been brought back from the brink with an agreement to restructure.
Other competing organisations had attempted to form a new national organisation, but no one could agree on which sectors should be included and who left out – contenders include: commercial beekeepers, hobbyist beekeepers, honey packers, honey exporters, honey buyers, pollinators, pollination recipients, researchers, regulators etc. Who should be given a seat at the table? On the face of it, it should be quite simple, with beekeepers running their own industry-led organisation, but who actually has an interest? With the rise of Manuka honey exports, it had rejuvenated our beekeeping industry but peaked with an unsustainable 930,000 hives (the highest number of hives in the world at the time, both per capita and per km2). The boom times are over, and the industry has corrected itself and there are now less than 500,000 hives.
Manuka honey had been a boon to the industry but it had also created instability with some new entrants drawn by high returns without long term commitment to bee health and a sustainable industry. This has given the perception of beekeepers being wealthy bee farmers selling a luxury product. I feel that the industry has lost sight of what its core purpose is and the actual benefits that it provides to NZ.
Honey prices have been languishing at a low ebb for years due to over-supply and loss of faith in the purity of bulk honey on the international market. Honey could be seen as a by-product of our industry; honey accounted for $419 million in exports last year and probably $70 million nationally. Consider the importance of pollination; this is worth over $5 billion to our country’s exports. Beekeepers are the stewards of pollination in our country, not only the introduced honey bee but also the important wild pollinators. Bees are one of our most delicate livestock and reflect the health of our country. NZ’s reputation overseas as a clean green country (whether entirely accurate is another discussion) adds value to most of our exports and should be maintained to the best of our abilities. With the accidental introduction of the deadly Varroa destructor mite 25 years ago we no longer have wild/feral honey bees, therefore beekeepers are essential for pollination.
It is surprising how many industries rely on beekeepers, directly and indirectly. Many crops rely on the honey bee for pollination including kiwifruit; apples and pears; stone fruit; berries; other fruits and vegetables; and seed crops. Also, honey bees pollinate clover which besides feeding livestock helps to fix nitrogen into the soil, reducing the use of imported fertilizers. There are other industries that indirectly benefit from bees, including forestry, viticulture, cosmetics, traditional medicine, tourism and research.
We need to re-evaluate our focus around pollination, collaboration and stewardship, working together for a sustainable future in the land of full fat milk and honey.
Ken Brown is President of Auckland Beekeepers Club and assistant chocolatier.
