Why Australian honey prices are soaring in 2026: The new 'super-mite' threatening your pantry

Australia produces some of the best honey in the world, but local producers are facing some of the toughest conditions in years as they continue to battle a destructive, parasitic pest.

The pest is called Varroa mite, and it was first detected in Australia at the Port of Newcastle in 2022 and quickly swept through bee-keeping regions across Eastern Australia.

Australian honey sommelier Jessica Locarnini told nine.com.au Australia was "the last major honey producing country that didn't have this mite".

"The mite latches onto the larvae and the bees and it weakens them so they are more prone to disease," she explained.

"It can wipe out entire colonies.

"So now beekeepers have to manage it, test for it, treat for it, and it is now present across most Eastern states. WA and Tasmania remain Varroa free for now.

"All it takes is one bee with a mite."

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Early eradication measures were put in place to try and ward off the pest, including destroying entire bee colonies, but this only served to slow the spread and Australia has now shifted to managing the mite rather than eliminating it.

And there have been reports of the pest becoming resistant to some chemical treatments as recently as earlier this year.

As a result, the cost of producing honey has increased significantly, leaving many out of pocket and increasing local honey prices by 15-25 per cent.

Locarnini said customers need to beware of what is in the honey they buy, and avoid honey "blends" if possible.

"Look for 100 per cent Australian honey if you want to support local producers and experience the full diversity of Australian honey," she advised.

"If it's not 100 per cent Australian, then the bulk of the honey you're buying has been imported.

"Australia has strong food standards, and we cannot sell honey that has been adulterated with glucose, corn syrup or similar ingredients, but with imported honey, it's difficult to be sure that the same standards have been applied to what you're buying."

After she started her career as a "bad beekeeper", Locarnini quickly pivoted to specialising in honey, tasting products produced by fellow beekeepers.

"I was working for a company that was producing beehives and we had a lot of hives on site, so we would bring jars in from the hives and have them lined up on the bench," she said.

"You'd look at them under the light that would come into the room, streaming through the jars and you'd see the diversity coming from the hives.

"With honey, you are tasting the landscape. The bees bring the nectar to the hive, and that's where the flavour comes from."

She found the diversity of flavours and complexity fascinating, and reached out to the American Honey Tasting Society where she went on to study all three levels of sensory analysis education becoming the first Australian accepted into the Italian Register of Honey Experts in Bologna.

"Honey is not just sweet. Just like wine, it reflects the landscape it comes from," she explained.

"You can get smooth, buttery notes like a caramel sauce, richer flavours like espresso, through to bright, fruity orange and citrus characteristics, sometimes even from the same hive, just across different seasons."

Locarnini is at the tail end of honey season.

This included joining a panel of judges at the Sydney Royal National Honey Show, part of the Sydney Royal Easter Show, where she sampled some of the country's finest honey producers.

While judging, Locarnini looks for clarity and brightness, aroma, intensity, depth, complexity and the "length of flavour" as well as density.

Next she is headed to the Tasmanian Fine Food Awards, where some of the best most iconic honeys in the world are produced, including Leatherwood.

Despite the challenges facing the industry, Australia continues to produce some of the most diverse and high-quality honey in the world, thanks to its unique landscapes and native flora.

And Locarnini has enjoyed seeing recent honey trends which have given the industry a much-needed boost, from hot honey sauces on everything from pizzas to chicken wings, to pieces of honeycomb oozing Australian-made honey being added to cheese boards.

"Have fun with it," she said.

She said Australian honey is "amazing" and "hands down the best in the world".

Locarnini is happy to see the major supermarkets throwing their support behind Australian honey producers.

"I'm really excited that Coles and Woolies have started stocking more smaller or independent and boutique honeys to give shoppers more choice," she said. 

"But shelf space is tight, and it can be hard for smaller producers to secure a spot and stay on the shelves. Even more reason to support our Australian honey producers."

Some of these include local brands like Fuzzy Bum in from South Australia, Adleys Honey and Wild Nectar, Walkabout Honey and The Raw Honey Company across Eastern states, Pure Peninsula, Collins Honey, Archibald's in Victoria, R Stephens, or Heritage Honey in Tasmania, Swan Valley Honey, or Fewsters Farm in Western Australia, and Hive and Harvest and Hampson Honey in Queensland.

The brands and availability can vary between states. 

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