'All my hives will be eradicated': Apiarist loses out as government desperate to control varroa mite outbreak
New South Wales beekeepers and industry groups say emergency measures imposed to stop the spread of a deadly parasite will devastate the industry and have potentially significant knock-on effects on honey production and agriculture.
"I've got about 150 beehives on my property at Williamtown and by the looks of it all my hives will be eradicated," he said.All 150 of David Vial's hives will be destroyed."I'm probably looking at, over the next couple of years, maybe a quarter of million dollars in lost sales," he said. "With these sorts of situations, regardless of the species or the issue, humans moving animals or plants around the state is a big risk to disseminating or increasing the size of the problem," he said.Mr Jackson said while the measures were necessary, he agreed they would have a big impact on apiarists and beyond.