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Australian honey
- Food For Sale
Australian honey
Australian honey industry is crucial to Australia’s agriculture. Honeybees play a critical role. They produce honey and wax. In addition to this they pollinate crops. Australian honey industry is worth over $14 billion per annum.
Almost 70 percent of this honey production is from Australia native flora. Thus far, commercial beekeepers produce approximately 37,000 tonnes of honey every year. These beekeepers are skilled and know their art well. NSW is the largest honey producer of commercial honey in Australia.
Therefore, it is crucial to look after the bee health and productivity. Good biosecurity and beekeeping practices help maintain good health and production. Hence, Plant Health Australia coordinates biosecurity programs between the industry and government. It is a continuous process to keeping Australia free of exotic plant pests and diseases.
Australian honey demand
Australian honey enjoys a prominent position in the world market. It is highly sought after because of the unique tastes and reputation. Consumers know honey production is clean and sustainable. Honeybees all around Australia visit over 700 native flowering plants to collect nectar and pollen to produce honey. These flowers give honey its spectacular flavour and colour.
Australia is well known for more floral sources for honeybees to forage on than any other country globally. Thus making Australian honey the most unique worldwide. Australian honey has wide-ranging tastes and colours.
Honeybees have an excellent sense of smell. They distinguish between the different perfumes of flowers. Furthermore, they have a ‘perfume dispenser’ to inform other bees the flowers types that have been chosen. The bees have the ability to distinguish colours in the blue and green end of spectrum. They have a time sense too.
Australian honey flavours
When honeybees visit a mixed patch of flowers, a special perfume left by the scout bee. It informs the workers to take nectar from only once source so that honey in the hive is one honey type.
There are many best loved Australian honey flavours. Blue gum is lighter amber and a choice forest honey from the south. Karri is amber honey from the forests of Western Australia. Whereas, leatherwood is unique flavoursome honey from Tasmania’s west coast. It is quick candy and extra light in colour. Lucerne is a mild tasting honey. Yellow box is mostly from New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. It is pale and sweet honey. Stringy bark is a strong flavour honey with medium amber colour and comes from the Great Dividing Range. White clover is extra white honey that candies smoothly. Tea tree is very strong flavour honey. It is mostly used in manufacturing.
Know your honey
Next time when you are shopping for honey look along the shelves. You will see a wide range of honey available. Usually the larger the store, they more types of honey you can choose from. It includes blends of golden liquid honey ranging from pale yellow to deep and rich amber. You will find jellied, creamed or candied honey too. Perhaps you may buy honey in the comb. It is a favourite sweet for many because it a a good chewy quality. In fact, it is tasty and its fun. You can eat the wax too. Honey tastes great and many health benefits too. You can use honey in many foods and beverages.
Australia exports around 10 percent of its honey to overseas markets. The main markets for Australian honey are North America, the Middle East, East and Southeast Asia.
