Oz's busy bees idle

Droughts and fires have taken a toll on Australia's honey industry. Honey prices are at a record high, but production is down 40%. This is unlikely to be a simply a result of local honey supply and demand economics — global honey prices have increased significantly following the banning of Chinese honey imports by many countries.

The Sydney Daily Telegraph reports that it will be at least a year before Australia's native flowering plants fully recover from the droughts to ensure a staple supply of nectar. It is estimated that 70% of Australia's nectar sources are native plants.