Thieves sting beehive owners during honey shortage


Posted Thu Aug 14, 2003 12:15pm AEST

Last year's bushfires and the current drought situation have had an unexpected side-effect on the NSW south coast.

The factors have combined to bring about a honey shortage, which has driven up prices and sparked a wave of beehive thefts.

Twenty beehives went missing from Mogo recently, and police have received numerous reports of stolen beehives from Wandandian to Mogo.

Batehaven beekeeper Keith Gruber has been in the business for almost 60 years and says this is the worst spate of thefts he has ever seen.

Mr Gruber had 20 of his hives stolen from Termeil and says he has heard reports of thefts from as far afield as Bega.

It is believed rising honey prices are driving the thefts.

Increased overseas demand combined with a honey shortage has forced up the supermarket price to more than $10 a kilo and the wholesale price to more than $4.40.