New Zealand’s honey industry has unveiled an ambitious goal to double exports in the next six years as forecasts predict significant growth in the sector.
Apiculture NZ chief executive Karin Kos said that the strategy, unveiled at the Beehive earlier this week, was about resetting the ambitions for the industry.
“We know that, while times are tough at the moment, there’s huge opportunity for honey.”
Increasing costs, a drop in demand, and hive disease have all affected beekeepers over the past few years.
Beekeeper Rod Dreaver told 1News that a lot of businesses have shut up shop because they can’t make ends meet.
“At the end of the day, no one wants to get into the beekeeping industry because there's no money in it.”
However, Kos said that, globally, honey was going to grow significantly over the next few years — to an estimated international worth of $20 billion globally in six years time.
Mānuka honey could be worth a billion of that on its own.
Mānuka Charitable Trust’s Haami Piripi said he could see potential in that matauranga Māori hasn't yet been featured in the authenticity of the product.
“Now it's what's required to establish authenticity, you have to have a back story, you have to have a cultural context, and it's the element that people around the world want to see.”
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