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Posted Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:07am AEDT
Tasmanian seed and crop farmers are concerned that dwindling bee numbers could affect their livelihood.
Many farmers hire bees from local beekeepers to pollinate vegetable plants in summer, as bees are the only option for pollination in Tasmania.
But the bee population is under threat from overseas disease and pests, and the felling of leatherwood trees is removing the bees' best honey-making nectar.
Bishopsbourne seed farmer Bruce Goss says he can not do his job without bees.
"The amount of bees that are in the pollinating system at the moment, we're getting by," he said.
"But the risk of losing that would be detrimental to our whole industry.
"I mean we just couldn't grow the crops that we do without the ability to pollinate them, it'd be a waste of time."
Farmers say jobs in the vegetable seed export industry could be at risk.
Mr Goss says local seed producers and exporters would have to shut down without the bees, and vegetable seeds would have to be outsourced.
"The seed to grow those vegetables from would come from somewhere else in the world and then you're bringing in the risk of disease and other things," he said.
"I mean, we do it all the time, but if we can provide what we need within the state then it's better for everyone.
"There's more jobs for everyone here and we're not paying somewhere else in the world to survive."
Tasmanian seed and crop farmers are concerned that dwindling bee numbers could affect their livelihood.
Many farmers hire bees from local beekeepers to pollinate vegetable plants in summer, as bees are the only option for pollination in Tasmania.
But the bee population is under threat from overseas disease and pests, and the felling of leatherwood trees is removing the bees' best honey-making nectar.
Bishopsbourne seed farmer Bruce Goss says he can not do his job without bees.
"The amount of bees that are in the pollinating system at the moment, we're getting by," he said.
"But the risk of losing that would be detrimental to our whole industry.
"I mean we just couldn't grow the crops that we do without the ability to pollinate them, it'd be a waste of time."
Farmers say jobs in the vegetable seed export industry could be at risk.
Mr Goss says local seed producers and exporters would have to shut down without the bees, and vegetable seeds would have to be outsourced.
"The seed to grow those vegetables from would come from somewhere else in the world and then you're bringing in the risk of disease and other things," he said.
"I mean, we do it all the time, but if we can provide what we need within the state then it's better for everyone.
"There's more jobs for everyone here and we're not paying somewhere else in the world to survive."
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