South Australia’s agricultural industry was already burdened with an unstable future. This comes on the heels of a first detection of the Varroa mite, a parasitic pest that destroys honey bee colonies. On Tuesday the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) was carrying out a routine inspection at Pooginook in the state’s Riverland region. Through this inspection, they gave the final confirmation of the confirmed pest. Beekeepers in Australia have long anticipated this day since the pest first arrived on their shores in 2022. They understand that it threatens their livelihoods and it puts the whole agricultural value chain at grave risk.
The Varroa mite is well known for its extremely negative effect on honey bee populations, which play a crucial role in the pollination of many crops. With about 300,000 hives required each year just to pollinate almonds, the implications of this detection are staggering. Honey bees are essential for the pollination of food crops worth $4.6 billion to Australia. As beekeepers prepare for the fallout, fears of food insecurity and increased costs are real.
Impacts on Beekeeping Operations
Local beekeeper Ian Cass told the Daily Advertiser that he felt resignation upon hearing about the detection. He said, “We were sort of anticipating it. His sentiments are parallel to an increasing apprehension in the industry. Beekeepers such as him are preparing for a potential change that would dramatically upend the way they do business.
George Loffler is one of the local beekeeping luminaries. He underscores just how vital wild or feral honey bee populations are in being able to run his farm productive and profitable. He noted its impact on the horticultural industry and beekeepers. All of us will feel the impact because everyone will pay more. If the infestation continues to worsen, he could be forced to adopt new farming practices. This very situation speaks to the shadow of unpredictability that looms over his business.
Danny Le Feuvre, an expert in pest management, indicated that beekeepers might not notice immediate effects on their hives this season or even the next. He continued, “Our beekeepers are not going to see it in their hives this season…It’s unlikely that they would see it next season either. But even as he celebrated the slow spread of the mite, he warned that bigger challenges might lie ahead.
Economic Ramifications for Agriculture
The Varroa mite’s discovery sent the honeybee world into a panic. This is a huge concern for the beekeeping community, as well as farmers that depend on pollination services. Tim Jackson of the almond growers underscored the industry’s reliance on these managed hives to ensure a productive crop. We need a bit over 60,000 hives in South Australia’s almond orchards during August. Without those managed hives, we are purely dependent on the commercial hives to pollinate our crop,” he said.
In addition, as varroa spreads and kills off our feral hives, Jackson announced possible breaks in our food chain. In doing so, he made a powerful warning. True dangers are looming for the food chain, though, as varroa moves outward and wipes out the feral hives that do such a fantastic job of keeping crops healthy. Home gardeners are especially concerned about their disappearance as it continues to jeopardize this country’s home-grown agriculture. It might threaten the very foundation of commercial agriculture.
Loffler was quick to stress that the loss of South Australia’s entire feral bee population would be a catastrophe. It would put the future of stone fruit production—peaches, nectarines and more—at risk. He warned that if the entire feral bee population were lost, there’d be catastrophic effects. By this measure, without those bees, you aren’t growing peaches, nectarines, and apricots in your backyard either.
Government Response and Future Outlook
As the controversy continues to unfold, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas similarly hinted at government intervention. He stated that it is “too early to say” whether financial support would be forthcoming for affected beekeepers and farmers. This issue of unclear authority only compounds the anxiety around how our agricultural sector will tackle this emerging litmus test.
The cumulative impact of the Varroa mite have still not played out completely. Despite its possible slow spread, experts agree there’s no room for complacency. Le Feuvre said, “It will take time to roll out statewide in SA.” He emphasized that growers must begin engaging with beekeeping services sooner rather than later: “For growers that are pollination dependent — almonds, apples, cherries, pears — if they’re not already using managed colonies they’re going to have to engage a beekeeper and start using those in the next couple of seasons.”
