Message to support Mid North Coast beekeepers after Hive and Wellness announces imports

Ana Martin and her partner Sven are the owners of Amber Drop Honey, a business which prides itself on producing quality raw honey, while educating the community on the important role bees play in the community.

Ms Martin said the recent announcement made by the owners of Capilano Honey, Hive and Wellness Australia, is disappointing.

As a result of the recent drought and bushfires, Australian honey supply has reduced by 50 per cent, forcing the honey price to a record high.

"(The company) has been requested from a few of our retail customers to supply a more affordable blended Australian and imported honey to meet the demand of the value-conscious segment," Hive and Wellness Australia said in a statement.

"This move will help us buffer the low production of Australian honey, so we can continue to readily meet sales demands across the business."

The company intends to launch a new brand of honey, which will be labelled as imported honey.

"Initially this honey will be sourced from South America and blended with Australian honey under our stringent testing conditions," the company said.

"We will not be sourcing Chinese honey."

In light of the recent hit to beekeepers due to fires and drought, Ms Martin said the announcement could put Australian beekeepers out of business, as they won't be able to compete with the cheaper price of honey on the shelves of supermarkets.

"A the end of the day it will make it harder on our industry here, especially after the drought and the bushfires, we need people to support our industry," she said.

The announcement, Ms Martin said also presents a threat to Australian honey producers who supply big companies with honey, as they will receive a smaller price for their product.

This is because their honey product will be placed second, below the competitive price of South American honey.

However, Hive and Wellness says it will continue to buy as much quality Australian honey as available in the market at record prices (due to drought and bushfires).

The company also stated it would continue to invest a large proportion of its marketing budget to encourage shoppers to keep buying Australian honey at these higher prices.

"In doing so supporting you and our vitally important Australian beekeeping industry," a spokesperson said.

Bees play a vital role in food pollination, with many beekeepers transporting their animals to farms to carry out the process.

However, Ms Martin said if the industry is threatened it might eventually result in the elimination of the beekeeping business and therefore pose a threat to the animals who carry out the vital food production cycle.

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