EXPORT OF HONEY

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1929, Page 1

EXPORT OF HONEY

RECORD SHIPMENT READY. The largest quantity of New Zealand honey graded at one time, ahoui 210 tons, is at present awaiting shipment in the hulk store of the New Zealand Co-operative Honey Producers’ Association, Limited, Auckland, one of the Government grading stores. The honey is all of the first grade. The shipment comprises some 3830 eases, the hulk of which will he shipped to England early this week. The whole of the .present grading is from the Auckland Province, mainly from the Waikato and Hauraki 'Plains districts, and is pasture honey, largely from white clover. ]tee-keeping and the exportation of New Zealand honey is ail industry which lias expanded rapidly in recent years (states the “New Zealand Herald”). The last quarterly report of the New Zealand Honey Control Board estimates the current season’s export at 1,792.900 pounds of honey, valued at £59,733. as compared with 2,300,005 pounds for 1928, valued at £77,848. The estimated reduction in exports is due to poor yields over all districts with the exception of the Auckland and Canterbury provinces. The total exports of the. current season’s hulk honey up to the end of April was 577,100 pounds, and the total received for grading for expoit was 1,435.840 pounds. New Zealand honey is in good demand overseas, buyers being found in the United Kingdom, Germany. Cceho-Slovakia, Austria, Denmark-, Sweden, Norway, (Finland, Iceland. Greenland, Egypt, Palestine. India. Burma and the Straits Settlements. Since only the best quality honey is exported from New Zealand, it is rapidly becoming popular in England and on the Continent, where it is largely taking the place of jams and conserves. Only a portion of Now Zealand honey is exported, a large proportion being consumed in New Zealand. The average New Zealander eats about throe pounds of bonev a year. o\ei 2000 tons annually being consumed in the Dominion. The average consumption in Great Britain offers a decided contrast, each person consuming only about three ounces annually. Abmii 4000 tons is imported annually and of this n considerable amount is used in the manufacture of sweets and similar products.