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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Bob Harrison <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 11 Sep 2002 10:47:03 -0500
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> Does anyone have any idea what the limit is for the price of bulk white
> honey in North America?

To be truthful the only limit is the amount of honey available  and the
desperate state of the packer.

 Packers which have made record profits at the expense of beekeepers for as
long as I can remember will have to dip into their bank accounts and buy
honey at record prices to keep from losing accounts.

The packers will run at a loss until the honey supply changes.

 As in the spring of 1996 many which wait for the prices to climb further
will end up getting less for their honey because in a world market the
prices can come down as fast as they went up. !.20 - 1.25 U.S. is the price
range in the Midwest today but we have heard of higher prices being paid by
a few desperate packers.

>
> I thought $US 1.00 a pound was pretty good, but have heard as high as
$1.62  US for bulk honey in drums!

Several packers are close to bankruptsy. 1.62 U.S. is not a lot of money if
you do not get your money. Choose your packer wisely.

> Has anyone here a good understanding of the market and how long the price
can stay this high?

The 1996 price spike lasted only several months but there really is no way
of guessing as a complete different set of factors are involved this time.

> I just got an offer for $ 2.10 CAD (US$ 1.34) for a load of white honey
without even bargaining hard.

You seem to not be bound by sales only to your coop Allen. The largest U.S.
coop members are going to come out with only average prices for their honey
and unable to benifit from the run away prices. Many are ignoring sales to
the coop and selling on the open market. Never underestimate the power of
money. I am told that said US coop is paying top price (1.55 U.S.) because
of *loyal* members jumping  ship and selling coop headed honey on the US
open market.

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