Wet weather killed 2023 honey production

The reported data shows the total honey production reached 12,000 tonnes, down from 22,000 in 2022 and a long way short of the five-year average of 20,900 tonnes.

The poor return reflects last summer's extreme weather events, including Cyclone Gabrielle and relentless rain which battered the country, especially in the north.

“The national 2023 honey harvest represents the weakest production performance since 2012 when there were substantially fewer hives in operation,” says Apiculture New Zealand chief executive Karin Kos.

The national honey yield per hive (20.1 kgs) was only two-thirds of that achieved in the 2022 season, but this average masked a divergence in fortunes between those operating in the North and South Islands.

For the first time in over a decade, the national yield was split evenly between the islands (6,000 tonnes produced in each). For the North Island, this reflected an historically low 14.4kg per hive, compared with 32.6kg in the South Island.

The monitoring data also shows registered hive numbers have continued to drop, reflecting successive years of modest producer prices and challenging trading conditions.

Total numbers were down to just over 600,000 in April, the majority (417,000) of which continue to be located in the North Island.

However, the North Island is also where the productive capacity is falling fastest with hive numbers down 22% on 2022 in the North Island compared to 7% in the South Island.

“Last season was very tough for beekeepers in the North Island, with many saying they had never experienced such adverse conditions,” says Kos.

“However, forecasts for the current season are for hotter and drier weather, particularly in the east of New Zealand, which should prove to be more favourable for honey production,” she says.

Meanwhile, a subdued global economy has proved challenging for honey exporters.

Export revenue for the year to June 2023 was down 17% to $379 million but with expectations of improved trading conditions in 2024, MPI’s latest Situation and Outlook for the Primary Industries report is predicting honey export revenue to bounce back by 8% to $410 million for the year to June 2024.