High Quality Manuka Honey in Short Supply

Radio New Zealand, 6/21/2010

A severe shortage of high-quality manuka honey is leaving exporters struggling to fill orders, and hitting beekeepers' incomes.

Processor and exporter Steve Lyttle of Honey Valley in Timaru says variable weather conditions this year, which may have seen manuka flower at the same time as other trees, severely affected production of manuka honey.

Mr Lyttle says the manuka content in the honey is lower than usual and exporters are struggling to fill orders for high-quality honey…