March 27, 2019
Northland mānuka honey downgraded
Northland beekeepers say they are losing millions of dollars a year from the misclassification of mānuka honey.
Māori collective Taitokerau Miere says a test for mānuka honey introduced last year that uses pollen markers excludes almost half the Northland crop and drops its value from up to $70 a kilogram to less than $20.
That has resulted in job losses in the north, and beekeepers and honey companies are struggling financially.
Beekeepers have called a hui at Ōtiria Marae in Moerewa tomorrow to discuss the crisis, and representatives from the Ministry for Primary Industries will the there to give a government response.
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