New Zealand BK's

[ladaok]

(1) Too many people tempted into honey money with the Manuka craze

(2) Too many people hopping into the hobbyist 'green' lark

The # (1) variety, Mostly the semi commercial / commercial are very secretive, liars and manipulate the truth.

The # (2) variety, won't register hives, spread diseases, and cause general mayhem

Still, this is another ' worst season ' ...3 in a row .... for me, NO honey to sell and i'm loosing 40 % of my hives through winter, by the time I try to catch up with replacement stock , the flow has all but gone ! It has cost me £ 6000 this season .... and, through a very reliable source, found out that the number # (1) keepers are in the same situation, and the number # (2) will be dropping like flies, with some luck

You see the # (1) will tell you what a great season they had and 2% hive loss
... when you hear this crap over a longish period, you honestly come to the conclusion your a terrible keeper and doing it all wrong after all these 10 years. Then to find the real truth, is that nectar flow and mating have been a shocker over that 3 year period for all

I probably mistakenly came to the conclusion that my Q genetics, and method of hive increase were suspect .... but I will change my system for the better

# (2) ....i'll save for another day lol

 

[Hachi]

Almost a mirror image of a beeks life here. Therefore I wouldn't worry, just do your thing, work out who you can trust and crack on lad.

 

[Walrus]

(1) Too many people tempted into honey money with the Manuka craze

(2) Too many people hopping into the hobbyist 'green' lark

The # (1) variety, Mostly the semi commercial / commercial are very secretive, liars and manipulate the truth.

The # (2) variety, won't register hives, spread diseases, and cause general mayhem

I was over there in Christchurch in January interviewing bee people, most notably Peter Bray of Airborne Honey. All very interesting and it would appear that the Manuka bubble will have to burst at some point, and all those new beekeepers will suddenly find it difficult to pay for their huge new expensive trucks and houses. The old-timers will probably be fine because they know how to control costs.

I hope you get a good season soon! I found NZ to be wonderful - great food, great people and amazing scenery. But I did not speak to hardcore manuka honey farmers. Who even likes Manuka honey? Rata honey is much nicer IMHO.

 

[ladaok]

I was over there in Christchurch in January interviewing bee people, most notably Peter Bray of Airborne Honey. All very interesting and it would appear that the Manuka bubble will have to burst at some point, and all those new beekeepers will suddenly find it difficult to pay for their huge new expensive trucks and houses. The old-timers will probably be fine because they know how to control costs.

I hope you get a good season soon! I found NZ to be wonderful - great food, great people and amazing scenery. But I did not speak to hardcore manuka honey farmers. Who even likes Manuka honey? Rata honey is much nicer IMHO.[/QUOT]

Ah, you should have come up to Te Puke, and I'd have shouted you a beer.

Just being nosy What were you interviewing about ?

Yip, Manuka is crappy alright, not only for taste but an interesting experiment by a group of school students, seem to cast doubt on any beneficial result by eating the rubbish, and as far as external application to wounds &c, any +ve results required the use of a ' medical grade ' @ $ 1000/ kilo .... and just to add salt to the wound, some ' clover ' honeys were just as effective as Manuka

ADMIN : I have mistakenly put this thread in the wrong forum, should be in general forum

 

[Eyeman]

At Apimondia 2017 in Turkey your guys were part of a round table discussion with the Australians on beekeeping economics. Nothing was mentioned about the poor harvest or financial crisis!. Infact the Aussies were drooling over how the Kiwi's had cornered the market and were making a bomb. It sounded like the Aussies were still only content with throwing another shrimp on the barbie- nothing wrong with that.

 

[ladaok]

1) when your in business, or representing a country, ... the 101 of smart moves is, never show your hand, and fed the opposition as much disinformation as you can.

2) The real battle over MANUKA honey is just about to really take off. The Aussies have found a tree that is identical in every way (so i'm lead to believe) to our manuka. The Aussies have known it as 'Jelly bush' It produces an identical honey ....The Kiwi's have been frantically trying to stop any gaps, to eliminate the Aussie honey ever getting to market. ... now you may see the reason the Aussies are drooling, one is the thought of all that easy $'s and also thinking how to cut those stupid Kiwi's down to size ... lol

 

[oliver90owner]

And the reason for this junk post is?

 

[colinc]

Sounds like a discussion about honey and it’s production to me.

I believe medical Manuka honey is usually irradiated which is an expensive process. Clever marketing because when you stick it in a wound you don’t have to taste it


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[enrico]

Thanks, it's good to hear from other countries.
E

 

[fatshark]

... and i'm loosing 40 % of my hives through winter ...

If this is due to disease then you urgently need to review your mite management. If it's due to starvation then you probably need to review your mite management ... and feeding strategy.

When is the Manuka nectar flow? Presumably not end of season.

Re. point (2) ... my Threats to bees slide for presentations has 'Beekeepers (some)' near the top of the list