The introduction of bumblebees for pollination is imperative to the ongoing viability of the hydroponic and greenhouse industry, especially the tomato industry.

Currently pollination of greenhouse tomato crops is done by hand with an electronic pollinator or an air blower, though there are some less sophisticated growers who are still simply banging the support wires to stimulate pollen movement. Each plant has to be visited every second day, at the optimum time for good pollen movement, and vibrated with the pollinator for effective fruit set. Even with doing this regularly there are certain climatic conditions, particularly extremes of humidity, which inhibit effective pollen flow. Bumblebee pollination would overcome this. You can see immediately the efficiencies that would be introduced to our industry with the introduction of bumblebees for pollination - without even considering the gains in yield and quality.

There are several factors that make the immediate introduction of bumblebees imperative to the ongoing viability of our industry.

Firstly, pressure is mounting for the importation of hydroponic produce from overseas markets. There is currently an application before AQIS for the importation of hydroponic tomatoes from the Netherlands. With less expensive production costs and higher yields per square metre, they can land tomatoes on our shores for significantly less than we can produce them. To compete on the world stage we need access to the same resources. Production efficiencies are imperative for us to be able to produce our premium product more cheaply. Bumblebees would contribute significantly to these efficiencies. Labour cost savings. Yield increases. Better fruit set - hence a higher proportion of first grade fruit. All these lead to lower production costs per kilo of fruit.

The time saving factor is becoming more of an issue with the increase in the size of greenhouse enterprises. When the average greenhouse was 1000m2 - the labour input for pollination was maybe three hours per week. This increases dramatically when you consider the large set ups with several hectare under cover. The other factor that has changed the labour input is the increased height of greenhouse. Five years ago 2-2.5 was considered an adequate greenhouse height, however structures that are being built today are 4m to the growing wires. Pollination that could be done by walking up and down the aisles now has to be done from trolleys high in the air, more labour, more time, greater cost.

There are also real gains in production to be made with the introduction of bumblebees for pollination. Bumblebees work all day, they visit each flower at the optimum time and provide more effective pollen movement with more effective fruit set. Bumblebees work all year, even in times of high humidity or low light, when it is difficult to get effective pollen flow with an electronic pollinator, the bumblebee ensures effective fruit set. Overseas experience suggests that yield increases of 20-30% have been achieved with the use of bumblebees for pollination, with crops having higher commercial value due to the uniformness of size and shape.

Another efficiency introduced through bumblebees in the greenhouse is that they are good early indicators of a problem in greenhouse environment or plant health. If bumblebees cease pollinating, and this is easy to see, then it indicates that some factor in the greenhouse management has made the pollen unpalatable to the bees. This early warning signal may save growers major losses.

There is also a side benefit to the introduction of bumblebees for pollination, which is of equal importance to the efficiencies gained. The use of bumblebees forces growers to reevaluate their methods of pest and disease control, growers have to follow an integrated pest management approach with less reliance on hard chemicals and more use of biological control agents. This has a three-way effect of being better for the environment, better for occupational health and safety and providing a clean and green marketing edge. Domestic and export markets are increasingly demanding chemical free products. Food Safety is a major issue in Australia and the introduction of bumblebees would force growers to follow safer methods of pest and disease control. Better for everyone.

Greenhouse producers can’t afford to be left behind in the international arena. Hence we strongly support the importation of bumblebees.