Drought Decimates Honey Production, Forcing Beekeepers to Handfeed

South Australian beekeepers are expecting no to little honey production this season due to dry weather, which has reduced honey yields to less than 10 per cent of the annual average. With cheap imports flooding the market, beekeepers are already grappling with low honey prices. The ongoing drought has devastated the natural food sources for bees, leading some apiarists to handfeed their bees to survive. The situation is dire, as many trees and plants have failed to bloom, significantly impacting pollen and nectar production.