Honey company Capilano will make more seven of its 12 workers at its Maryborough site, in central Victoria, redundant by the end of the year.
Capilano Honey’s managing director, Roger Masters, said the drought, the strength of the Australian dollar and a new competitor are reasons for the company’s downturn.
The workers were told last week.
“It’s been really sad to have to go and do it, but as I say I don’t think we really had much choice, we have to survive to make sure that this business is in a better place for its beekeeper shareholders,” he said.
According to Masters the drought is hitting the company hard.
“People always forget that honey comes from bees and bees need flowers and they need trees and of course we’ve had drought … for so long in different areas … it’s been almost crippling,” he said.
Masters said the four workers who will remain in Maryborough will pack honey for the industrial and international markets.