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I think the commercial beekeeping industry should have a say and at the moment they ' re not being looked after .
- Beekeeper Trevor Monson
“ We thought covid was bad but this is something else .” Trevor said his own business , which manages over 170 beekeepers to supply over 110,000 hives a year and is based in NSW just over the Victorian border at Gol Gol – has experienced a significant loss of income , plus an enormous amount of time dealing with Varroa mite protocols . He said there has been a lack of trust between Victorian biosecurity and NSW beekeepers that the mite is contained and not a threat . “ I personally believe it has been contained and I ’ m concerned about what hoops we will need to keep jumping through despite the threat being taken care of ,” Trevor said . “ We have bees in NSW on the Murray just over the Victorian border that aren ’ t allowed to come in even though they are hundreds of kilometres away from Newcastle .” Despite the ongoing pressures of the Varroa mite , Trevor said the relationships between beekeepers and almond farm managers have remained positive . “ We ’ ve got a good relationship with the almond industry and the farm managers and there ’ s been great cooperation ,” he said . “ My personal observation , despite the weather , is the set
has been reasonable . I ’ ve been around almond trees for 40 years and I ’ m quietly confidently that it will be a good crop ." Trevor said to move forward there will need to be a collaborative approach from the beekeeping and almond industry . “ I think we need a forum with key almond people , key beekeepers and sit down and clarify what needs to be done ,” he said . “ I think the commercial beekeeping industry should have a say and at the moment they ’ re not being looked after .”
ABA and beekeepers working together
THE Almond Board of Australia ( ABA ) has been working closely with the honeybee industry to navigate the challenging Varroa mite outbreak . Recently , ABA Industry Development Manager Deidre Jaensch spoke to over 100 attendees at the South Australian Apiarists Association – Varroa Information Day in Loxton , on how Varroa has affected the industry . The ABA is conducting a survey of stocking rates across Victorian orchards this season and will use this data to cross reference with yield data next year to measure the impact of the reduced hives .
The ABA ' s Industry Development Manager Deidre Jaensch .
The ABA has received reports that some orchards that usually use over five hives to hectare were reduced to as low as 1.5 hives per hectare this season due to the border closures and uncertainty created by the varying biosecurity rules imposed by the various states . The situation is being used as an “ enforced research project ” by some growers to assess the required beehive stocking rates . Since the Varroa incursion resulted in border lockdowns and hive stand-stills in NSW , the ABA has worked closely with beekeepers from all States to assist in their endeavours to provide appropriate stocking rates and will continue to collaborate to achieve greater certainty for the 2023 almond pollination season , which if fully stocked , could generate more than $ 50 million for the beekeeping industry .
industry . australianalmonds . com . au 19