An emergency order barring the motion of beehives is in place after varroa mites had been discovered within the NSW Riverina and Sunraysia areas, the place pollination is essential for the almond trade.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has detected the bee parasite in hives at Euroley within the Riverina and Euston in Sunraysia, prompting the biosecurity order.
A 10km eradication (crimson) zone and a 25km surveillance (purple) zone are in place, which means hives can’t be moved into, inside or out of these affected areas.
Bees and their hives within the eradication zones can be destroyed.
DPI chief plant safety officer Shane Hetherington stated the division had traced the brand new infestations to the Kempsey area in NSW, the place the mites had not too long ago been detected.
He stated earlier than that detection many beekeepers had moved hives for each almond and canola pollination.
“The new detection at Euston has clear links to an infested premises in the Kempsey area, which we’ve been able to track through the movement declaration process,” Mr Hetherington stated.
“We are continuing investigations into the link for the Euroley hives, although they have also travelled from the Kempsey region.
“Tracing and testing hives moved from the Kempsey area stays NSW DPI prime precedence, to make sure we are able to get in entrance of any additional unfold.”
Across the border biosecurity officers are keeping a sharp lookout for varroa mites in Victoria’s Sunraysia region but none have been detected so far.
Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said on Friday the Albanese government was committed to work with state and territory governments to eradicate the varroa mite and its threat to the honey and pollination industries.
“We do not take current developments as an indication that eradication has failed or isn’t value pursuing. That nonetheless stays the purpose,” he told reporters.
Almond Board of Australia chief executive Tim Jackson said it was fortunate almond flowering was ending and the bees were finishing their job of pollination, with nearly 300,000 hives involved from NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland.
“It’s the most important annual motion of livestock at one time in Australian agriculture,” he told AAP.
Mr Jackson said he was concerned for beekeepers who needed to move their hives on to new floral sources such as canola, macadamias, apples and pears or into national parks to keep them viable.
Further mite infestations and hive movement bans could jeopardise hives and beekeeper livelihoods, he said.
Mr Jackson said it was a matter of urgency for the NSW DPI and other bodies to work out a plan to allow the mass movement of hives to safeguard them for ongoing crop pollination.
The new mite detections bring the total number of infested premises in NSW to 215.
Mr Hetherington said the tracing of varroa mites to beehives at Euston and Euroley highlighted the importance of all beekeepers reporting hive locations and doing regular alcohol washes to look for the parasite and to report the results.
The first Australian infestation was found in Newcastle, NSW, in June last year.
Last month the NSW government announced $31 million to support beekeepers and the horticulture and cropping industries affected by the varroa mite outbreak.
The mites infest hives, weakening then killing bees and finally destroying their colonies.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
