Honey and Beeswax

GVP $45 million est. Down 22% year-on-year.
Industry impacted by Varroa mite biosecurity activities through 2022-23.
Higher domestic honey stocks have put downward pressure on bulk honey prices.

Floral resources have benefitted from the La Niña conditions throughout eastern Australia, however wet and cold conditions during spring of 2022 tended to limit honey production for some producers and created access issues to some sites, with unseasonal flowering also reported.⁷ Prices for honey reflected generally higher domestic honey stocks, compared to previous drought-impacted pricing, with indicative bulk honey prices an estimated 17% lower in 2022-23.⁸ Beekeepers were also challenged by the ongoing biosecurity activities associated with Varroa mite affecting honey production and collection, as well as impacting the provision of pollination services to other agricultural industries. Varroa mite management remains a dominant factor for the industry.

Price

The average price for bulk honey declined by an estimated 17% in 2022-23 to about $4.80 per kg from the prior year (this price reflects bulk honey and not specialist types).⁸ Previous years’ period of higher prices was largely attributed to drought which impacted production over the period 2017 to 2021. Subsequent recent wetter seasons have resulted in improved flowering of productive plant species, lifting production and the honey stocks held by packers. Both honey and beeswax prices have been reported to have continued to decline over recent months.⁹

Apart from production, honey prices are driven by domestic demand, and global trade including premium honey exports and importantly imports into the Australian market. Industry has reported volume growth in supermarket retail sales of 1.5% for 2022-23 totalling 10,351 tonnes (to 5/6/23). In value terms, the annual growth of retail supermarket and premium honey sold through pharmacies grew by 1.2% to over $170 m (to 5/6/23).⁷

Indicative Average Annual Bulk Honey Price ($/kg)⁸¹⁰^ae

Indicative Average Annual Bulk Honey Price ($/kg)

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Import unit values of premium honey from New Zealand averaged $23.35/kg an increase of 24% year-on-year, while lower grades of honey from Malaysia and China had an average unit price of $2.15 per kg and $3.04 per kg in 2022-23, these were 9% and 15% higher respectively year on year.³⁵

Pollination services provides an important additional component for beekeepers’ incomes, apart from providing an essential service to many horticultural and some cropping industries. In 2021 the average pollination fee ranged from $50/hive for macadamia, $155/hive for almonds and $160/hive for blueberries.¹¹ More recently hive prices for almond pollination in 2022, which occurs over July to September, averaged $162. The service fee reflects a number of factors including the competition between individual crop growers and between industries during peak pollination periods, the cost of preparing and delivering hives long distances, and the damage that the particular crop and production system has on the bees.¹¹

Trade

Australian exports of honey and beeswax were down 19% in value terms in 2022-23 from the prior year to total $54.7 million. The value of exports to China (down 29% or $3.1 million), Canada (down 38% or $2.5 million) and Indonesia (33% lower or $1.7 million) accounted for much of this decline. Against this the value of exports to the United Kingdom lifted 25% to $2.1 million in 2022-23. Total honey exports in volume terms, were 24% lower year-on-year to 4,644 tonne in 2022-23.³⁵

Similarly, NSW honey and beeswax exports were 17% lower at $11.3 million, with exports to the United States the largest market in value terms decreasing almost $1 million from 2021-22 to total $6.7 million in 2022-23. Honey exports represented 97% of the total value of exports, with the United States market taking 885 tonnes of honey in 2022-23, 76% of total NSW honey exports by volume. At the same time the value of NSW honey and beeswax exports to China increased by 30% over 2021-22, to total $1.3 million in 2022-23.³⁵

NSW Exports of honey and beeswax by value³⁵

United States
China
Hong Kong
Malaysia
Korea, South
RoW

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NSW Exports of honey and beeswax by volume³⁵

United States
Malaysia
Hong Kong
United Kingdom
China
RoW

Download data (.XLSX)

Imports of honey and beeswax nationally in 2022-23 totalled $61.8 million an increase of 3% year-on-year, while NSW imports totalled $27.8 million, an 11% increase from 2021-22 in value terms including high value honey from New Zealand, and lower value but high volumes from Malaysia.

As a result of these shifts in trade in honey and beeswax, Australia was in deficit in 2022-23, with the value of imports exceeding exports nationally by $7 million in 2022-23.³⁵

NSW Imports of honey and beeswax by value³⁵

New Zealand
Malaysia
China
RoW

Download data (.XLSX)

NSW Imports of honey and beeswax by volume³⁵

New Zealand
Malaysia
China
RoW

Download data (.XLSX)

Outlook

Varroa mite remains a dominant issue for the industry. As of September 2023, the focus of the National Varroa mite Emergency Response shifted from eradication to transitioning to management of Varroa mite, as agreed by the National Management Group and endorsed by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests. The aim of the transition management program is to increase resilience and capacity to manage Varroa mite within the Australian honey bee industry and minimise ongoing impacts of Varroa mite naturalisation on the bee industry and pollination reliant industries. This will occur through slowing the spread of Varroa mite, building industry resilience, providing management options and supporting pollination security.⁸¹

In terms of seasonal conditions, the near-term potential for honey production is supported by the floral resources which have benefitted from the wetter conditions of the last two years and experienced through much of eastern Australia.

Stronger Primary Industries Strategy

Tocal training targeting emergencies

Strategic Outcome

Response Capacity

4.1 Anticipate and prepare for adverse events

Delivering training to respond to biosecurity emergencies

In a world where biosecurity threats pose an ever-increasing risk, effective biosecurity is essential to safeguard Australia’s economy, environment and community.

Biosecurity Emergency Response Training Australia (BERTA) was introduced to strengthen Australia’s biosecurity system and provide a consistent, rapid and efficient response to biosecurity emergencies. BERTA is a crucial tool in ensuring the country’s preparedness and capacity to respond to incursions of animal and plant diseases and pests. Providing consistent, quality and targeted training to biosecurity personnel ensures a coordinated and effective response. Tocal College maintains the training materials and helps to deliver the accredited training Australia-wide through a partnership with Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia. Updating and refining the training modules will ensure BERTA continues to play a critical role in supporting a sustainable and profitable agricultural industry and protecting Australia’s unique ecosystem.