Bee varroa mite outbreak detected in NSW, page-10

In a follow-up to Monday's comments on the introduction of bans on the transport of bees into Victoria from NSW, reported in the Sunraysia Daily,July 25, today's paper, in an article largely concerning the potential for an unfavourable almond pollination season, contained the following:
S.D. Wed. July 27:
' Almond Board of Australia chair Tim Jackson said the shortfall of 70,000 beehives for almond producers in August, with most in Sunraysia, meant the only way crops could achieve high pollination was if ideal weather conditions prevailed.
'[He] said producers faced a "major drop" in tonnage this season and... the Board was now shifting its focus to risk mitigation ahead of a varroa mite outbreak he believed could remain an issue for years to come.
' " We're in the lap of gods", he said.
'The Almond Board proposed a biosecurity bubble to allow NSW beehives to work on almond plantations along the Victorian-NSW border.'
'"Every other state outside of Queensland were dead against moving hives (from NSW) " ,[Mr Jackson] said.
'Sunraysia almond producers require between 150,000 and 200,000 hives to pollinate crops which have been valued at more than $500 million.'

Meanwhile, the short burst of warm weather (21 degrees in north-west Victoria yesterday) has prompted the first budburst in almond trees for this season.
The clock is ticking.