HONEY INDUSTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1938, Page 10

HONEY INDUSTRY

MARKETING AND EXPORT REGULATIONS PRODUCERS APPROVE PROPOSALS (By Telegraph—Press Association.) TIMARU, June 1. New proposals for Government control of the marketing and export of honey were outlined by Mr H. Honeyfield, representative of the Internal Marketing Division, at the annual conference of the National Beekeepers’ Association today. Mr Honeyfield said the proposals, which were receiving favourable consideration, were: — (1) The grading system will be modified and the pay-out based on points of flavour and colour, with a special penalty on honey below the British standard of cleanliness, grade values to approximate those at present applying, but to be modified if experience warrants. (2) Honey may be sent to the central depot either liquid or granulated, but liquid or semi-liquid honey for the first year shall be subject to a deduction of one-sixteenth pence a pound to defray extra costs of handling. Liquid or semi-liquid honey must be sent to the department in special tins, for which specifications will be given. Honey will be accepted by the department from December to July 31. (3) In order to have fundamental marketing statistics, main producers will be required at the end of March in each year to forward a return giving the approximate amount of honey they expect to supply, any variation to be advised by the end of April. (4) It is proposed that the producer will put the honey in trucks at the nearest railway station for: railage to the nearest port or to the central packing depot, whichever is nearer. Coastal freights to the depot will be paid by the department. Unless road deliveries are more suitable and more economical, all honey will require to be sent through the Railways Department, which will then contract to have the honey forwarded by the cheapest route.

(5) With all honey coming to the central depot, storage charges previously debited to.the producer will be avoided. " v (6) Receiving, delivering and wiring charges previously debited to the producer will be eliminated. (7) It is hoped that the Department of Agriculture will grade honey weekly at the central depot, thereby avoiding double handling and making possible prompt cash advances by the Internal Marketing Division. (8) As there is difficulty in getting information to producers of a technical or marketing nature, it is hoped that a journal or possibly a portion of the Journal of Agriculture will be used in order that correct information can be regularly disseminated among producers.

The conference endorsed the proposals and asked that the Government put them into effect with the least possible delay.