Hive + Wellness, one of Australia’s largest packers and marketers of honey, argues that Australia faces a potential honey shortage, with the current season forecast to be the lowest on record. Weather conditions are suggested as the cause, with further declines predicted for 2020/21 if there is no improvement.
Hive + Wellness is the company behind the honey brand Capilano, and following a survey among its suppliers, found that 98 per cent of respondents had been impacted by the ongoing drought, with some beekeepers seeing production drop to zero and some brands already missing from shelves.
Hive + Wellness COO Ben McKee has called for a price increase to support beekeepers, and doesn’t anticipate any sales promotions in the near future.
“The drought is impacting on supply and the cost of honey is going up, so like other industries such as dairy, with retailer support, we will need to see prices go up on supermarket shelves to support our farmers during this tough time,” he told Food & Drink Business.
Bushfires and heat have also been linked to impacting “devastating bee populations as well as their source of food”.
“Australian beekeepers are the forgotten farmers in this drought. Just as livestock farmers have faced challenges in feeding their animals, a lack of flowering trees means beekeepers have struggled to ensure sufficient food for their bees.
“They are experiencing significant declines in both the population of their hives and in production levels as there is simply not enough nectar for bees to collect. The bees are also affected by water scarcity and the relentless heat,” said McKee.
According to McKee, Hive + Wellness will continue to support Australian beekeepers by paying fair farmgate prices for honey, and says despite the movement around buying local honey from markets, supermarket honey goes through more quality processes to ensure it is pure Australian product.
“The large beekeepers that supply the brands in the supermarkets are the ones that we need to be supporting as they are the ones protecting our wider agricultural industry.
“As a company, we’re committed to fostering a sustainable and viable industry for younger generations to come, which is also why consumers should choose supermarket honey that is produced by fulltime, professional beekeepers,” he said.
McKee urges more investment in agtech that will allow beekeepers to run more efficient and productive businesses, as well as access to national parks. More awareness is needed of the important role beekeepers play, he says.
“Not only do they produce honey, but their bees are providing critical pollination services that help support our wider agricultural industry.
“Without bees pollinating, we would see one third of the fruit and vegetables on supermarket shelves directly impacted, and we would also see a reduction in the pollination of crops that are used to feed our meat and livestock industries,” said McKee.
