No Shortage Of Honey Here

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 61, 28 June 1948, Page 5

No Shortage Of Honey Here

WHAKATANEBETTER OFF THAN OTHERS Though “Consumer News” states that there has been a shortage of honey in most towns, the Beacon has found a different story at Whakatane. The majority of the shopkeepers, though not able to feature honey in their window and shop displays, have always had a little in stock nearly all year.

Consumer News said in its last bulletin that the honey season is just reaching its peak and that with the record crop this year of 4,750 tons, as compared with 3,700 tons last year, the public could expect a lot more honey on the market. Here again Whakatane has been wellserved for though there is little honey grown in this district there has nearly always been honey in tHe town. Honey prices in this area are, a two pound carton 2/BJ, a 51b tin 7/0-1, a 101 b tin 13/IJ. If the consumer is buying comb honey the prices are a little different. Cut and wrapped honey costs 1/2-!-, comb honey 1/9. The outlook for the industry is good in New Zealand and is improving all the time. In 1940 there were only 5,248 registered beekeepers, controlling ' 136,362 hives, and today there are 7,136,362 hives, and ers, controlling 154,488 colonies of bees, in 11,386 apiaries. This is due to the rehabilitating of ex-service-men into the industry. The local aspect is generally not good, although there are approximately 500 hives in the district. These are made up from little lots of 2,3,, and 4, privately-owned hives. The only commercial producer in the district is Mr J. Waterhouse, who has upwards ( of 200 hives. The reason given for the size of the industry locally, is the lack of consistent sources of supply for the feeding of the bees and the making of the honey. There is between 9 and 10 tons of honey produced here, all of which is sold tb local consumers.