NEWS reports concerning the integrity of manuka honey risks damaging export markets and undermining the value of the wider beekeeping industry, Apiculture New Zealand says.
The industry body was responding to recent news that questioned the integrity of the sector and suggested that certain producers were making false claims about their manuka product.
“We support the hard work of the ministry for primary industries to resolve this issue and to have an agreed manuka honey definition by later this year,” ApiNZ chief executive Daniel Paul said.
He said the ministry was working to resolve what was scientifically speaking a complex issue.
“It will provide certainty to our export markets and assurance to consumers about the authenticity and integrity of New Zealand manuka honey, and that’s the most important thing,” he said.