While beekeepers face the biggest challenge in the industry’s history, will food prices be affected?

Honey bees pollinate $4.6 billion worth of food in Australia, but with the inevitable spread of a parasitic mite and the eventual predicted wipe-out of the feral bee population, farmers are warning of an impact at the check-out.

Researchers have previously predicted feral bees will succumb to varroa mite in coming years, which will see demand from pollination-dependent fruit and vegetable producers steeply rise — posing a significant threat to Australia’s food productivity.

Attempts to eradicate the parasite in New South Wales failed, with the industry moving to a management phase late last year.

Footing extra costs for varroa mite treatment, labour and colony losses in managed hives could have flow-on effects on produce availability and prices, according to Duxton Bees managing director Keegan Blignaut.

Mr Blignaut has experienced the effects of varroa mite firsthand while working in New Zealand, where the parasite is endemic.

He expected growers for produce like stone fruit, apples and cherries to be hit with additional costs, as the death of feral bees will leave them with no other choice than to contract commercial beekeepers.

“They will be paying for honey bees to pollinate their crops,” he said.

“For industries that haven’t been dependent on pollination from managed hives, it’s a 100 per cent cost increase.”

Will food prices rise?

Third-generation Adelaide Hills apple and cherry grower Andrew Flavell uses pollination services for his fruit but also benefits from free feral bee pollination.

But he will need to pay for more commercial pollination services to make up for the loss of feral bees due to varroa mite.

“There’ll be a cost per hectare increase, and we’ll just have to manage that,” he said.

“Either bear the brunt of it or try and increase the cost of our wholesale product.”

He said while growers and industry often absorbed additional production costs, there could be ramifications.

“Growers will have to make the decision on whether they continue to produce at an unviable position or move on,” he said.

Mr Blignaut also expects food prices to be affected.

“Unfortunately, consumers will end up having to pay more for crops that are dependent on bees, because the input costs will be higher,” he said.

But the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council’s varroa coordinator, Bianca Giggins, disagreed, despite conceding it was “the most challenging time in Australia’s beekeeping history.”

“It’s a unique time, but I don’t believe that the leaving of industry or the challenges that we have will have an immediate impact on our food prices at all,” she said.

Rabobank research analyst Pia Piggott said the effect on food prices was dependent on varroa mite management, the weather and pollination service availability.

“If there is a particular season where the hives are very weak, the hives are dying in large significant numbers … then we could see an impact on production and then over a longer term that could impact prices,” she said.

“We can expect the varroa mite to cause the weakening of bees, so their pollination isn’t going to be as effective.”

Bee colony and pollination losses

Varroa mite is a parasite that kills honey-bee colonies and transmits viruses to its hosts.

So far it has become established in New South Wales and spread to Victoria — with two detections in the state.

Beekeepers are expected to see 30 per cent colony losses in managed hives, according to Ms Giggins.

But losing Australia’s distinctive feral bee population is an even bigger concern.

“When they succumb to varroa, we will lose all of that free pollination that we’ve come to understand is really holding up some of our pollination-dependent industries,” she said.

It is estimated with 90 feral bee colonies per square kilometre, Australia has a much higher feral bee population than other countries.

As varroa mite spreads, Mr Blignaut is concerned about sufficient pollination service supply in the future.

He said there would be “massive gap in availability of bees” where feral bees disappeared — with growers having to contract beekeepers.

Whether beekeepers can provide enough hives is dependent on the speed varroa mite spreads and seasonal demand, he explained.

“The faster it spreads, the faster the increase in demand will be,” he said.

“There’ll be a time lapse between can beekeepers at that time of year develop enough colonies to provide the pollination services required.

“It’s only early spring through to early summer when you can build colony numbers.”

He expected pollination service prices for farmers to rise, as demand was likely to outstrip availability of commercial hives.

Protecting Australia’s food security

About 35 horticulture industries are dependent on pollination but Australia currently has no national pollination strategy.

It has been a thorn in the side for Wheen Bee Foundation CEO, Fiona Chambers, for years.

She now spearheads the development of the first national pollination strategy with stakeholders from all industries.

“When we’re faced with things like varroa … it really puts the spotlight on how underprepared we are,” Ms Chambers said.

She said there was no understanding about the growth of pollination-dependent industries nor the requirement of bees or a unified approach across industries.

She said a national pollination strategy was crucial to safeguard Australia’s future food security.

Mr Blignaut stressed the role bees played in Australia’s food security should not be underestimated.

About one-third of crops are dependent on bees and about 60 per cent needed some bees to create sufficient pollination, he explained.

“So we look at 50 to 60 per cent of our food needing bees,” he said.

“There is a serious risk of a decrease in bees, decreasing the available produce we have on market.”