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Department of Agriculture

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  5. Honey bees

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    • Honey bees

Honey bees

The honey bee industry is critical to Australia’s agriculture. Bees produce honey and wax as well as pollinate crops. The industry is worth more than $14 billion annually.

Around 70% of honey is produced from our native flora. Skilled commercial beekeepers produce 37,000 tonnes of honey annually. NSW is the largest producer of commercial honey in Australia.

Australia exports about 10% of its honey overseas. The main buyers are North America, East and South-East Asia and the Middle East.

We support the industry by providing advice to promote bees and their impact on the food chain. We work with industry to help protect bees and reduce their decline.

The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council fosters, promotes, and protects industry interests. The Council includes state and national associations.

Find out more about the Council.

Around 35% of crops in Australia need bees for pollination. Up to 75% of crops gain benefits from bee pollination. Products that need bees for pollination include:

  • Almonds
  • Avocados
  • Blueberries
  • Cucumbers
  • Mangoes
  • Apples
  • Rockmelons
  • Pumpkins.

Commercial pollination services are critical to agriculture. Many producers lease commercial hives for pollination. The need for these services will increase as other industries grow.

It’s important to look after bee health and productivity. This is helped by good biosecurity and beekeeping practices. Plant Health Australia coordinates biosecurity programs between government and industry.

Find out more

  • Bee and biosecurity programs
  • Bees, pests and diseases.

A levy and export charge applies to commercial honey produced in Australia. The levy and charges are invested by AgriFutures Australia. Investments are made to:

  • Develop new technologies
  • Improve hive performance
  • Build industry leadership.

The National Residue Survey is also funded through agriculture levies. The Survey tests for chemical and environmental pollution. This helps to improve the safety of products for eating or exporting.

Find out more

  • The honey levy and export charge
  • AgriFutures Australia
  • National Residue Survey

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Page last updated: 08 June 2022

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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