What do you consider the New Zealand apiculture industry’s greatest strength? How about its biggest weakness? What opportunities lay out in front of Kiwi beekeepers and honey sellers in 2026 and what are the threats that are likely to present? We put those questions – plus the opportunity to make a New Year resolution on behalf of the industry – to some of the industry’s leaders and entrepreneurs.

As a yellow-legged hornet (Vespa veluntina) biosecurity incursion response winds into month three, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is simultaneously being praised by the beekeeping community for an expansion of their response funding and front-line efforts in Auckland and encouraged to provide longer-term contingency planning with a view to the invading insect being found elsewhere. The clock is fast ticking on eradication hopes and critics say the beekeeping commun

In a world first, New Zealand’s mānuka honey entering India will soon see significant tariff reductions under a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two nations. While potential for the mānuka honey industry abounds, some are warning that, this time, honey sellers should take the clean slate, “work together” and not “stuff it up”.

Ian Fletcher once helped negotiate trade agreements for the European Union, now he’s at home in the Wairarapa and lending his expertise to New Zealand’s honey industry. So, what does he make of the

Following rejection of the takeover bid launched by Florenz Ltd for Comvita Ltd, the manuka honey flagbearer has announced its intention to raise NZD25 million in new capital, which means that Comvita shares will continue to be quoted on the New Zealand Exchange. But should they be?

Progress towards the reshaping of a national-level beekeeping industry body is continuing its slow but now, seemingly, steady progress as the calendar flips to 2026. A group of ten beekeepers have been tasked with assessing a “draft foundation document”, having met once in December and planning to do so again in January.

Levies for American foulbrood are set to remain the same into the 2026/27 season, following consultation with beekeepers. But should the agency, New Zealand Bee Health and Biosecurity (NZBB), be advancing plans to extend their remit beyond AFB into wider bee health and biosecurity as their name suggests? Results on that question were murky and the path forward now similar, right as the country contends with a crucial beekeeping-related biosecurity incursion.

It’s much easier said than done, but for beekeepers timing when the important tasks in the apiary are undertaken is crucial. John Berry imparts what he has learned about timing it right over his six decades of time in the hives.

It pleases me to introduce a new, regular column being written by Dr Mark Goodwin, where one of our most esteemed honey bee scientists can impart some of what he has learnt from his research, and from beekeepers in New Zealand and around the world.

Bask in warm December air, bees are working everywhere. Mountains, valleys, farm and fields, every buzz increasing yields of viscous, trickling, sticky stuff – us beekeepers just can’t get enough.

Can bees tell the time? In their own unique way – yes. And, understanding how and why could play an important role in increasing hive productivity and improving conservation efforts.

Despite being thrown some serious challenges in winter and spring 2025, beekeepers servicing New Zealand’s major kiwifruit growing areas appear to have – for the most part – filled their role adequately. It hasn’t been all smooth sailing though, with some disaster stories around hives failing their audits, meaning the proposition of securing enough quality beehives to pollinate the valuable crop in coming seasons should concern growers.