Overwintered Nucs

[Nige.Coll]

Has anyone been keeping an eye on the prices of overwintered Nucs?
The prices are getting higher every year this price increase cannot be sustainable.
Last year the price was around £250 for a nuc of bees early season and I'm seeing adverts for next springs nucs at £325 to £350 and nucs in June pre ordered at £280. A lot of the overwintered nucs are sold out at those increased prices.
Brexit has affected the prices as there used to be 2500 packages of bees imported from Europe that were in most circumstances split into 2 and then sold as nucs a bit later in the year leaving a gap of around 4000 nucs to fill.
Can the market sustain the current yearly price increases of around £40 to £50 per year?
This bubble has to burst at some point but at what point, when they reach £400 or higher?
There are still people selling nucs far under this price, I saw one advertised this year at £80 including the poly box but not enough to make an impact on the market and none early enough for people to replace winter losses.
Will the price of nucs reduce the amount of new beekeepers or make current ones improve their overwintering we will see, but it's getting a bit silly now.
On a brighter note I'm glad I'm overwintering 30 just hope they survive as they seem to be worth their weight in gold.

Beekeeping is becoming a very expensive hobby.
Feed going up.
Equipment going up.
Jars going up.
Wood going up.
Poly going up so much it may not be viable.
The only thing not going up is the price of honey.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Has anyone been keeping an eye on the prices of overwintered Nucs?
The prices are getting higher every year this price increase cannot be sustainable.
Last year the price was around £250 for a nuc of bees early season and I'm seeing adverts for next springs nucs at £325 to £350 and nucs in June pre ordered at £280. A lot of the overwintered nucs are sold out at those increased prices.
Brexit has affected the prices as there used to be 2500 packages of bees imported from Europe that were in most circumstances split into 2 and then sold as nucs a bit later in the year leaving a gap of around 4000 nucs to fill.
Can the market sustain the current yearly price increases of around £40 to £50 per year?
This bubble has to burst at some point but at what point, when they reach £400 or higher?
There are still people selling nucs far under this price, I saw one advertised this year at £80 including the poly box but not enough to make an impact on the market and none early enough for people to replace winter losses.
Will the price of nucs reduce the amount of new beekeepers or make current ones improve their overwintering we will see, but it's getting a bit silly now.
On a brighter note I'm glad I'm overwintering 30 just hope they survive as they seem to be worth their weight in gold.

Beekeeping is becoming a very expensive hobby.
Feed going up.
Equipment going up.
Jars going up.
Wood going up.
Poly going up so much it may not be viable.
The only thing not going up is the price of honey.

Market forces will eventually stabilize the prices. As long as there are customers willing to pay the asked price why would any operation reduce it? When the sellers end up with unsold stocks the increases will slow down. Similarly as long as sellers ask too little for their honey the public are happy. Why wouldn't they be?

 

[ericbeaumont]

Beekeeping is becoming a very expensive hobby

Golden goose at risk?

At Epping Forest we trained 24 beginners a year for several years and were usually fully booked by early spring (with a long overflow list) for a course that began in late May.

More recently we'd reduced the intake to ease the workload, but this year places were still available until just before kick-off (we did fill it).

When lockdown ended there was a feel-good boom in demand and money in the bank to invest in a new hobby, but 2023 will be very different: energy prices, interest rates, gloomy financial uncertainty.

There will be those sufficiently insulated financially to go for it, but what about beginners with limited funds? Could end up being an elitist hobby.

Although early investment in bees and equipment is heavy, the money can be recouped slowly if honey produced is sold at a proper price.

Thing is, you have to have the start-up money to start.

 

[blackcloud]

It just increases the chance of your hives going missing
Supply for the demand
Nothing you can do about it
Dont worry.......

 

[Michael Palmer]

Of course nuc prices are going up. Think what it costs to set up and maintain nuclei until spring sales. Diesel up to $6.50 a gallon from 3. Sugar at $0.60 a pound up from $0.40. Lumber at $1.40 a bdft up from $0.85. And everything up the same. I agree prices will reach a maximum, but will eventually fall.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Diesel up to $6.50 a gallon from 3

I wish we could get diesel at 1980's prices

 

[blackcloud]

That timber is a bloody bargain too!

 

[Nige.Coll]

Of course nuc prices are going up. Think what it costs to set up and maintain nuclei until spring sales. Diesel up to $6.50 a gallon from 3. Sugar at $0.60 a pound up from $0.40. Lumber at $1.40 a bdft up from $0.85. And everything up the same. I agree prices will reach a maximum, but will eventually fall.

300 ltrs of syrup made with sugar I got at 15p per lb, some time and £3 for oa.

 

[Michael Palmer]

That timber is a bloody bargain too!

I understand what you and jenkinsbrynmair are saying. But everything is relative. I see the prices you are getting for your honey. I have the best honey there is...at least here. My honey...right out of the bulk tank was awarded Very Highly Commended at the National in 2019. So, nice honey. What can I say...I get $3.25 for it. As I said, everything is relative.

 

[plain_hunt]

It just increases the chance of your hives going missing
Supply for the demand
Nothing you can do about it
Dont worry.......

 

[SWEET]

It just increases the chance of your hives going missing
Supply for the demand
Nothing you can do about it
Dont worry.......

Well... good luck stealing the hives from my *Dark Wood*, feel free.... VILE.

 

[Poly Hive]

I looked at those prices and whistled. So... I sell 6 frame nucs at £220. I am not increasing my prices as I want to help beginners and not profiteer. My frames are in stock and several years old now so no increase there. My foundation is getting pricier yes but for the time it takes me to make a nuc frankly I'm not bothered. It takes me about three minutes to graft a cup. Says it all I think.

PH

 

[blackcloud]

If they want them they will have them.

All you can do is construct more and more noisy time consuming and complicated security that inhibits your own fun as well.
Law inforcement don't give a toss about you.
Happy days