Support for the commercial use of bumblebees
2.1
This chapter outlines the arguments provided to the committee supporting
the commercial use of bumblebees in Tasmania. The arguments centered on
increased productivity in greenhouses and thus economic benefits to producers
and the state of Tasmania, and the use of bumblebee pollination should honey
bee populations be affected by the varroa mite.
Potential productivity and economic benefits
2.2
The committee received evidence on the potential productivity benefits
of the successful commercialisation of the Tasmanian bumblebee population. Submitters
commented that productivity benefits arise as bumblebees are efficient
pollinators. This efficiency has been utilised in many overseas countries particularly
in greenhouses. CSIRO commented:
In agriculture, Bombus terrestris is used in many
countries around the world as a pollinator, especially for greenhouse crops.
There are some crops (e.g. greenhouse tomatoes) for which this species is a
more effective pollinator than the widely available managed pollinator, the
European honeybee, Apis mellifera.[1]
2.3
Bumblebees pollinate flowers through 'buzz pollination', that is, a
rapid vibrating motion which releases large amounts of pollen onto the bee. The
Tasmanian Government explained that:
In most situations, "buzz pollination" will allow a
bumblebee to pollinate a flower in a single visit. A honey bee typically needs
to visit a flower between 7–10 times before it is fully pollinated.
Bumblebees are fast workers, visiting twice as many flowers
per minute as honey bees. Because of their size, they can carry relatively
heavy loads, which enables them to make long foraging trips. They also often
achieve better contact with stamens and pistils than smaller insects.[2]
2.4
The buzz pollination of bumblebees makes them very effective pollinators
in comparison to other pollinating insects such as honey bees and are preferred
in glasshouse crops due to their superior performance in enclosed environments.[3]
In a glasshouse tomato crop, for example, a single bee has the ability to
pollinate 450 flowers per hour.[4]
2.5
Submitters also noted that other attributes of bumblebees may provide
potential productivity benefits for pollination services. These attributes
include that bumblebees are attracted to flowers with long narrow tubes, such
as blueberries and tomatoes, while honey bees are not. Bumblebees are also more
efficient pollinators than honey bees as they mainly forage for pollen rather
than nectar, and transfer more pollen to the pistils of flowers with each
visit.[5]
2.6
A further advantage provided by bumblebees for pollination is that
bumblebees are less affected by adverse and cooler weather conditions than
honey bees.[6]
Honey bees become active at temperatures of 15ºC to 18ºC while bumblebees are active at temperatures around
5ºC. Bumblebees are
also active on cloudy, foggy and rainy days and can fly in windy weather.[7]
Raspberries & Blackberries Australia stated that:
In Tasmania, it has been observed that wild bumble bees also
act as pollinators of berry crops. It has long been known that bumble bees are
more reliable than honey bees as pollinators as they will forage during
inclement weather and are less hesitant to forage in crops grown under plastic.[8]
2.7
Other advantages of bumblebees include that they are not tied to a
specific area of a crop and will change trees more often and more easily than
honey bees. This provides benefits for cross-pollination which is often
required for fruit crops.[9]
Increased crop yields and reduction
of costs
2.8
The committee received evidence regarding crop yields associated with
pollination by honey bees, bumblebees and wand pollination. Wand pollination uses
handheld vibrating wands which mimic buzz pollination. Wand pollination is
commonly used for tomatoes grown in glasshouses rather than honey bee
pollination.[10]
2.9
Submitters pointed to increases in both yield and fruit quality—size,
weight and shape—in plants such as blueberries, tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant
and kiwi fruit from buzz pollination services especially in glasshouses. Protected
Cropping Australia emphasised the benefits of bumblebees and stated that they
are:
...far more effective at pollination, than human efforts,
resulting in a substantial yield increase and quality, on greenhouse crops,
stone fruit and berries. This can happen at a much lower cost than manual
pollination (currently the practice in greenhouse crops).[11]
2.10
The University of Tasmania and Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA),
for example, noted the increased yield for some glasshouse crops overseas due
to the use of bumblebees rather than honey bees for pollination:
Increases in agricultural productivity derived from bumblebee
pollination services in glasshouses are well documented. Investigations of the
magnitude of these yield increases when compared to honey bee (Apis
mellifera) pollination have demonstrated significant increased returns to
growers; tomato (19%); capsicum (6%); eggplant (25%); cucumber (22%); raspberry
(8%) and strawberry (13%) to name but a few.[12]
2.11
The Department of the Environment and Energy (the department) also noted
reports that yields and fruit size have improved by about 20 to 30 per cent in fruit
pollinated by bumblebees compared to fruit pollinated by vibrating wand.[13]
2.12
In relation to greenhouse tomatoes, the Department of Agriculture and
Water Resources noted that European honey bees are not well suited for
pollination. Wand pollination is preferred over honey bees. However, compared
to wand pollination, bumblebee pollination gives increased yields according to
some studies. Bumblebee pollination also increases quality such as individual
tomato weight and more seeds per tomato.[14]
Other submitters noted that bumblebees are less aggressive than honey bees and
are therefore more suitable for use in greenhouses.
Reduction of costs
2.13
There are costs associated with both honey bee and wand pollination. Apiarists
provide hives for a fee. Fruit Growers Tasmania commented that pollination
prices have risen as much as seven times in the last season for some crops.[15]
The factors contributing to the increased cost of hives are examined later in
this chapter.
2.14
Wand pollination is labour intensive requiring 40 to 60 hours of labour
per hectare per week during the flowering period. This imposes significant
costs on producers. The University of Tasmania and TIA stated that:
...the labour cost of having to physically vibrate each
flowering stem within the crop is significantly higher when compared to the
cost of a bumblebee hive/s which may provide daily pollination services for up
to 8 weeks.[16]
2.15
Similarly, the Geelong Beekeepers Club commented that:
To grow large, round tomatoes, the tomato flower must be well
pollinated. Outdoor tomato crops are pollinated by wind currents, but inside a
greenhouse flower trusses must be individually vibrated. In Australia this is
currently done with an electric wand—a labour intensive process. Consequently
growers are keen to utilize an alternative, far less costly process.[17]
2.16
Estimates of the reduction in pollination costs gained through the use
of bumblebees were provided by the Tasmanian Government which cited a study by
the Australian Hydroponic and Greenhouse Association in 2006. That study
estimated that the manual pollination of one hectare of tomatoes costs
Australian growers $25,000, against $7,000 for bumblebee pollination, a saving
of $18,000 per hectare. The Tasmanian Government noted that this is a 72 per
cent saving or in excess of $8 million annually industry-wide. It went on
to comment that it is highly likely that manual pollination costs have
increased significantly in the decade since that estimate was made, but
bumblebee pollination costs (in other jurisdictions) have since come down.[18]
2.17
The Tasmanian Government also noted that Mr Brandsema, Protected
Cropping Australia, has indicated that the use of bumblebees would cut
pollination costs to 25 per cent of manual pollination.[19]
Costa Group provided detailed evidence on cost savings and commented that the
cost for hand pollination of a 10 hectare greenhouse is approximately $475,000
per year. If bumblebees were used exclusively to pollinate the crop, Costa
expects this would result in a production cost saving of $315,000 per annum for
the 10 hectare crop.[20]
Economic benefits
2.18
A major consideration for those supporting the use of bumblebees for
commercial purposes in Tasmania is the potential economic benefits. With
increased yields and quality and lower production costs, submitters argued that
Tasmanian growers would reap a comparative advantage and therefore enable them
to expand their markets on the mainland and overseas. In turn, this could fund
expansion, particularly of greenhouse crops, and provide more employment
opportunities.
2.19
Mr Michael Toby, from the Costa Group (one of Australia's largest horticultural
companies and a major grower, packer and distributor of fresh fruit and
vegetables), commented that should the proposed trial be successful, Tasmania
would have a competitive advantage over every other Australian state and the
potential economic benefits would be significant.[21]
2.20
This view was supported by the Tasmanian Government. The Tasmanian
Government noted that a report prepared by an independent agricultural economist
commissioned by the then Department of Economic Development had found that the
use of bumblebees as pollinators would create a major competitive advantage for
Tasmanian producers by significantly reducing production costs.[22]
It went on to comment that bumblebee pollination 'would also enable Tasmania's
CEA [controlled environment agriculture] sector to compete more effectively
with countries such as New Zealand and Chile, which already receive a
productivity advantage from access to bumblebees'.[23]
2.21
The Costa Group provided an indication of the comparative advantage to
be gained through the reduction of current greenhouse tomato pollination costs.
It noted that the price of New Zealand tomatoes is much lower than the price of
those produced in Australia as pollination costs in New Zealand have been
reduced through bumblebee pollination. The Costa Group stated:
New Zealand (where bumble bees are present and legal) exports
about 4000 tonnes of tomatoes p.a. to Australia (worth about $A4.26m), the
Pacific Islands and Japan.
In recent years, New Zealand grown glasshouse tomatoes have sold
at cheaper prices in Australian supermarkets compared to the Australian grown
equivalent.
This price difference is in large part attributable to the
significant labour cost savings provided by the use of bumble bees in New
Zealand horticulture.[24]
2.22
Should the trial of bumblebee pollination be successful, it was argued
that greenhouse production could expand. The Tasmanian Government noted that
'the economic benefits of bumblebees have been a key driver behind the growth
of large scale greenhouse horticulture in many countries throughout Europe and
Asia'.[25]
The Department of the Environment also commented that there has been a
very rapid uptake of bumblebee services by growers where they are available.[26]
Both the Tasmanian Government and the department cited to a report produced by
the horticultural industry in 2008 in which it was estimated that the economic
benefit of bumblebee pollination across Australia could be $40 million per year.[27]
2.23
Mr Marcus Brandsema, Protected Cropping Australia, also commented on
potential growth of greenhouse production and associated economic benefits. He
stated:
Why can't a 20-hectare struggling potato farm convert to a
20-hectare high-tech greenhouse employing 300 to 400 people, having this
pollination advantage? Why can't Tasmania be the head and not the tail in this
industry sector? I am looking much further than our current Tassie footprint. I
am looking at our potential.[28]
2.24
The Tasmanian Government suggested that the economic benefits could
include significant expansion of the state's CEA sector in which commercial
agricultural crops are grown in fully enclosed secure greenhouses. However,
while other crops are grown in protective poly-tunnels, there are very few
crops apart from tomatoes, capsicums and cut-flowers where fully enclosed
greenhouses are employed in Tasmania.[29]
2.25
Total Tasmanian production of tomatoes for fresh markets is small—about
0.42 per cent of the total volume of Australian production with 1.1 per
cent of total undercover tomato production. However, the Tasmanian Government
submitted that the comparative advantaged gained through bumblebee pollination
could lead to an expansion of the production area through investment. It stated
that Tasmania could become a future hub for CEA.[30]
2.26
The Tasmanian Government went on to comment that there had been
interest, including from a large grower with significant investment in
Tasmania, in investment in CEA in Tasmania if bumblebee pollination were to
become available.[31]
2.27
Apart from tomatoes, the potential use of bumblebee pollination for
other commercial agricultural crops grown in fully enclosed secure greenhouses
such as capsicums, eggplant and cut flowers was outlined. Production of fresh
berries was also mentioned, noting the structures used with berries are not
fully enclosed.[32]
Employment opportunities
2.28
The University of Tasmania and TIA discussed potential increased
employment opportunities resulting from commercial bumblebee pollination. It
was noted that increased production levels may result in demand for workers for
crop harvesting and subsequent cold chain logistics.[33]
2.29
It was also suggested that opportunities could exist for the development
of a bumblebee hive production industry. In those countries using bumblebee
pollination services, the bumblebees are commercially bred.[34]
The University of Tasmania and TIA commented that a small-to-medium scale
bumblebee hive production industry may develop. Their submission explained that
this could be undertaken by either the state's beekeeping industry, whose extensive
knowledge of crop pollination would seem best suited to this role, or by other
commercial parties. The University of Tasmania and TIA concluded:
It is envisaged that production of hives would positively
impact on the State's economy due to increased employment.[35]
2.30
Mr Toby, Costa Group, was similarly of the view that a new industry for
research, production, pollination services and export was likely to develop in
Tasmania should the proposed trial be successful. He reported that there had
already been overseas interest, including for investment, in the commercial
production of bumblebees in Tasmania.[36]
Other possible benefits
2.31
Other potential benefits from the use of bumblebees as pollinators were
highlighted in evidence. These included addressing unmet demand for pollination
services at peak times and as additional pollinators should the varroa mite
establish in the honey bee population.
Pollination issues
2.32
The committee received evidence that some agricultural industries in
Tasmania are heavily reliant on honey bees, both feral and commercial, for
pollination services. These include the fruit industry (for example, apricots, blueberries,
strawberries, raspberries, cherries, apples, pears and plums), the vegetable industry
(for example, brassicas, onions and fennel) and seed industry (for example,
carrot seed) as well as for clover, lavender, lucerne and red clover.
2.33
Pollination services are provided by commercial honey producers as part
of their overall operations with crop producers paying for hives to be placed
on their properties to pollinate crops.[37]
The Tasmanian Government noted that agricultural industry peak bodies have
expressed concern that during critical peak demand periods there is a critical
shortage of honey bee pollination hives available.[38]
Mr Phil Pyke, Fruit Growers Australia, commented that a number of the larger
berry farms are moving into their own bee production because they cannot access
enough hives to meet demand.[39]
2.34
Factors contributing to the unmet demand for pollination services are
the value of honey production and the timing of demand for pollination
services. Fruit Growers Tasmania pointed to the high prices received from key
Asian export markets for honey as reason for beekeepers to prioritise honey
production over pollination services.[40]
The University of Tasmania and TIA similarly stated:
The lucrative returns for beekeepers for honey, and
especially leatherwood honey, together with the current relative size, scale
and timing of the Tasmanian agricultural sector creates significant supply
issues for managed honey bee pollination services in Tasmania.[41]
2.35
The Tasmanian Government explained the impact of the timing of peak
demand for pollination services:
Many of Tasmania's apiarists
consider pollination secondary to the more lucrative honey production activity.
They make their hives available for pollination outside the key honey
production time. However, the key honey production time for Leatherwood
coincides with the flowing of many annual horticultural crops...The pollination
season extends from late-July through to early April, which overlaps with the
leatherwood honey season that commences late December and finishes in early
March.[42]
2.36
A further matter impacting on demand during peak times is the
limitations to honey bee pollination if the weather is not suitable for honey
bee activity. As noted above, honey bees will not forage if the temperature is
below 15°C or during inclement weather or rain events. The University of
Tasmania and TIA commented that this can create problems with the pollination
of several field crops, including apples, berries and cherries, if such
conditions are experienced during their pollination window.[43]
2.37
Submitters also noted that some apiarists are unwilling to provide
pollination services as they have experienced damage to hives placed on farms.
For example, producers irrigating or spraying at the times bees are pollinating
can lead to damage to the colony.[44]
Mr Lindsay Bourke, Tasmanian Beekeepers' Association, stated:
There is not a shortage of bees; it is just that some
beekeepers choose not to pollinate, because previous fruit growers and
vegetable growers have done the wrong thing in the past by spraying them at the
wrong times of the day, and beekeepers do not want to do it.[45]
2.38
A further matter contributing to apiarists being less inclined to
provide pollination services is their use in protected environments, for
example, orchard bird netting. The University of Tasmania and TIA stated that
hive health declines when deployed in these environments.[46]
2.39
With increased demand, the cost of pollination services has increased.
Fruit Growers Tasmania, for example, commented that pollination prices have risen
as much as seven times in the last season for some crops.[47]
2.40
The Tasmanian Government noted that there are apiarists who are
dedicated to providing pollination services only. These services are
increasingly in demand because of the growth across a range of sectors
including cherries, berries, pasture and vegetable seed crops.[48]
However, submitters argued that given forecast growth in the Tasmanian
agricultural sector commercial bumblebees may help alleviate some of these
supply issues.[49]
Insurance against the varroa mite
2.41
A further matter noted by submitters was the potential importance of
bumblebee pollination should the varroa mite[50]
enter Australia and spread to the honey bee population. Currently, honey bee populations
are under threat 'globally, from pest and disease issues, such as varroa mite
and colony collapse disorder'.[51]
Mr Michael Toby, Costa Group, commented that:
Varroa remains the greatest threat to pollination within
Australian horticulture and honey production. The varroa mite is a well-adapted
parasite of the Asian honey bee, both of which are present at the moment in
northern Queensland. Varroa jacobsoni is currently being eradicated from
Australia under an emergency response. However, the more destructive Varroa
destructor is not yet present in Australia. It is in New Zealand, where
evidence suggests it arrived on illegally imported honey bees.[52]
2.42
The University of Tasmania and TIA also provided evidence on the
potential impact of varroa on pollination of crops by honey bees. It was stated
that:
If Varroa mite invades Australia then the significant
pollination services of feral honey bee populations will be lost, costs of
managed honey bee populations will rise and a pollinator deficit is probable in
the agricultural industry.[53]
2.43
Similarly, Mr Brandsema commented on the potential impact of varroa and
stated that, based on overseas experience, 'it is expected varroa will
progressively kill between 95 and 100 per cent of Australia's feral European
honey bee population, greatly reducing the pollination service they provide'.[54]
2.44
Submitters commented that there is a very high risk that Varroa
destructor will eventually enter Australia and establish in the honey bee
population. However, it was noted that bumblebees, along with some native bees,
are resistant to varroa.[55]
As such, it was argued that bumblebees will be vital to ensure that pollination
of crops can continue.[56]
2.45
Raspberries & Blackberries Australia, for example, commented that:
In New Zealand, the Varroa mite (Varroa destructor)
has severely reduced wild honey bee populations. Bumblebees are not a carrier
or host of Varroa mite. Should Varroa mite enter Australia then we will be
faced with the same challenge as in New Zealand in maintaining viable honey bee
populations for pollination purposes. In New Zealand, bumblebees are
commercially used as pollinators for a number of agricultural and horticultural
crops. As a minimal strategy in any contingency plan, bumble bees should be
considered as complementary pollinators (but not necessarily an alternative) to
honey bees.[57]
Need for further research
2.46
The University of Tasmania and TIA stated that the current legislation
is a major impediment to setting up a bumblebee colony for research which could
include:
...environmental research requiring manipulation of bumblebee
numbers, pollination research to quantify their impact, and economic research
to ascertain the viability of the limited gene pool for commercial rearing and
associated rearing costs. Furthermore, bumblebees are ideal models for a joint
CSIRO–University of Tasmania project currently underway developing tracking
sensors for mounting on flying insects because of their larger size and social
behaviour where they return to a hive regularly. None of this work can be
undertaken under the current legislation.[58]
2.47
While advocating a cautious approach to the use of bumblebees as
pollinators for protected cropping in Tasmania, the Tasmanian Farmers &
Graziers Association also suggested that further research be undertaken:
With the limited amount of current research been undertaken
there is an opportunity to undertake research on bumblebees to provide
guarantees that any change to legislation is favourable for all stakeholders.[59]
2.48
Other submitters also advocated further research is required into the
impacts of bumblebees on the environment.[60]
Fruit Growers Tasmania, for example, stated that:
...to allow research into the effect of its presence on native
bee populations, environmental risks and other impacts including competition
for floral resources, weed spread, effectiveness as a pollinator and potential
for spreading of pathogens and parasites.[61]
2.49
Dr Katja Hogendoorn, Ms Elisabeth Fung, Dr Remko Leijs and Dr Richard
Glatz provided a useful summary of the research conducted and outlined the
areas where further research is required:
Bumblebees have been present on Tasmania for more than 20
years and research has identified a number of potential impacts of the species:
The species has been demonstrated to cause an increase in the seed set of weeds
...a decrease in the nectar availability for the swift parrot...displacement of
native Tasmanian bees from flowers through competition...and rob nectar without
pollination...
However, we do not as yet fully understand the ecological
implications of the introduction of this feral pollinator, because (a) the
impact of bumblebees on Tasmania has not been structurally monitored; (b) the
last research done on the impact of bumblebees was 10 years ago, and (c)
insufficient experimental research has been done.
By now, vegetation changes due to the introduction of
bumblebees should start to become visible and should be researched. Therefore,
the impact of any decision to legalise breeding (and enhance the feral
population) should be assessed by establishing the ecological effects of
experimentally increased and decreased bumblebee densities on:
- Commercial honey and pollen yield for Apis mellifera;
-
Native bird foraging;
-
Seed set and propagation of weeds, including tree lupin, foxgloves,
scotch broom and rhododendron;
-
Native bee reproduction;
-
Presence and spread of bee viruses.[62]
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