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> From: Allen Dick <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: honey prices
> Date: Monday, June 23, 1997 12:15 PM
>
> > What is driving the US price down is all the Chinese honey being
funneled
> > through Canadian packers and sold in the US as Canadian Honey.
>
> I would like to see some proof of this.
>
> It is my understanding, there has been a little bit of such (illegal)
> activity, but that it is quite minor in relation to the whole market and
> in its effects on price.  Moreover such activity has been well
> investigated by the US commerce department.
 
I read numerous articles stating that this was a problem just after the
tariffs went into effect on Chinese honey.  I did not however get any
names.  If this was nipped in the bud, I stand corrected.
>
> I am sure the extent and the effect of this particular activity on honey
> prices has been much less than other factors.  For example,  much less
> than that of a couple of good ol' boys down in the south who were found
to
> have been selling syrup as honey for some good long time.
 
This was the case at one time.  However numerous test have been developed
to ferret out honey that has been cut with syrup.  It is virtually
impossible to get doctored syrup past a large user.  Local byres have
discerning taste and most can tell if there is syrup in honey or at least
if it is not up to snuff.  The beekeeper that sells doctored honey, will be
the only one eating it in very short order.  I also believe I read an
article in one of the journals that Canadian had turned back several
shipments of honey from
China that had been doctored.
>
> The latter activity is proven and documented in court.  The attribution
of
> lower prices to the former is -- as far as I know -- unfounded and pure
> conjecture.
>
> If not, some names and quantities should be forthcoming to back up this
> charge  -- or a retraction and an apology.
>
> Allen