Beekeepers expected to exit industry over varroa mite

Australian beekeepers will need to bear the financial cost of managing varroa mite as it inevitably spreads across the country and into the feral bee population.

Australian beekeepers will need to bear the financial cost of managing varroa mite as it inevitably spreads across the country and into the feral bee population.

It comes as the national management plan, which was announced late last year, continues to be rolled out nationwide.

Australian Honey Bee Industry Council chief executive Danny Le Feuvre said training, education, and extension was at the heart of the program’s rollout, with a raft of extension officers across the country to assist in the transition from eradication to management.

But he acknowledged management of the noted pest was a huge project to tackle.

“There are high levels of frustrations from growers. It is a big beast and a slow process to get underway,” Mr Le Feuvre said.

“Keepers are probably feeling a little overwhelmed, and there’s a lot more information to come. It’s a complex landscape.”

Australian Honey Bee Industry Council chief executive Danny Le Feuvre said training, education, and extension was at the heart of the program’s rollout.

Growers and beekeepers are expected to foot the bill in future for any treatments or management costs for the mite, as the plan has moved from an eradication phase.

The apple and pear industry, for example, has been asked to contribute $4.31 million to the $100 million response, with the industry required to repay the funds across nine years via a new levy of approximately $0.000192 per kilogram.

The apple and pear industry currently has a small EPPR levy of $0.0005 per kilogram in place, covering small incursion-related costs of the past five years.

The new combined levy will be $0.00242 per kilogram.

Mr Le Feuvre said as the government worked on the response program, there would be no subsidies for treatment.

“It’ll be a significant cost increase, potentially could add a third to the beekeeper’s cost of production,” Mr Le Feuvre said.

“We’re expecting some tough years to come, and expecting some beekeepers might find it cheaper to leave, in New Zealand they had about a 20 per cent exodus, it’s pretty typical.”