The situation in China sounds like the US a hundred some years ago. What changed here was better roads, more reliable vehicles and a sagging price for honey. Beekeepers were ready to hit the road to pollinate for a couple of dollars a hive. 

The other factor was that the growers could bring bees in and get them out, with only a small break in their application of pest control measures. The beekeeping industry's ability to provide mobile pollination is definitely its great strength.

Currently, prices for pollination range from high in the almonds, to OK elsewhere.  A rise in honey prices will draw beekeepers away from pollination, which may lift pollination fees with it. It's a market driven system that mostly works OK.

PLB

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