Almond growers await green light to allow NSW beehives into SA amid varroa mite concerns

The South Australian government says it is “close to finalising” permits to allow beehives from New South Wales to help pollinate almond trees despite ongoing varroa mite restrictions across the border.

The pollination season is just starting in SA’s Riverland region, but the state government says it is taking a cautious approach to allow beehives from NSW for the first time since the deadly parasite was detected in Australia.  

While many local growers rely on existing relationships with SA beekeepers to supply hives for pollination, the peak body for the honey bee industry said it was “cutting it fine” for those who may require additional hives.

Australian Honey Bee Industry Council chief executive Danny Le Feurve said bees were usually mobilised for almond pollination at this time. 

“We probably are at the eleventh hour at the moment,” he said. 

The Queensland and Victorian governments have already released protocols allowing registered beekeepers to apply for permits to move hives from the General Emergency (blue) Zone of NSW, as long as they have not been in the Eradication (red) Zone, or Surveilllance (purple) Zone. 

Despite new detections of varroa mite in a blue zone, Mr Le Feurve said the risk of the pest spreading into South Australia from hive movement was “very low”. 

“The issue is with trying to find that fine balance between providing business continuity and providing enough hives to service pollination events,” he said. 

“The amount of surveillance done in NSW far exceeds the surveillance done in any other state.”

No rush on permits 

SA Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Clare Scriven said on Monday that her department was “close to finalising” the arrangements amid competing priorities between the horticultural industry and apiarists.  

“I think the one thing we can all agree on is that we don’t want varroa mite here,” she said. 

“So, because of that, we have had an appropriate, cautious approach to this.”

Ms Scriven acknowledged that time was of the essence, with almond pollination imminent. 

“Consistency is certainly desirable for industry but it can’t be the overriding factor,” she said.

“We want to make sure that first and foremost we are protecting our state from varroa mite.”

Almond Board of Australia chief executive Tim Jackson said he was notified by the state department that permits would be available from as early as the start of this week, but this had not occurred. 

“We’re very happy with the cooperation we have received from all the state governments around getting this to happen,” he said.

“We certainly don’t want a repeat of the uncertainty we went through last year.” 

Tree numbers surge

Mr Jackson said regardless of the permits, a shortage of beehives had resulted in price increases of about 30 per cent per hive.

At the same time the number of trees had surged to more than 3.5 million across 60,500 hectares, with a ratio of around five to six beehives required per hectare for successful pollination. 

“This year will probably cost the almond industry about $50 million,” Mr Jackson said.

“That is great for beekeepers but it’s reaching a point where a lot of growers are now looking for some relief or alternative methods.”