UPDATE: HONEY production is down by up to a third across the country due to a lack of spring rain.
Victoria and South Australia are worst affected, with honey crops predicted to be down 50 per cent from last year.
Honey Bee Industry Council chairman Lindsay Bourke said the national honey crop would this year be about 20,000 tonnes, down from the usual 25-30,000 tonnes.
Capilano honey spokesman Bill Winner said the situation in Victoria was dire.
"Capilano depends on well over 1000 tonnes of honey from Victoria each year and we're not expecting to get anywhere near that,'' he said.
"We had hoped for honey becoming available in the Mallee but the high heat this week will mean bee keepers won't risk taking their bees up there.''
Mr Winner said South Australia could still produce a good crop from its irrigated lucerne, and the NSW south coast was also looking good.
Beekeeper and editor of The Australasian Beekeeper magazine Des Cannon said bees were sensitive to fluctuations in weather and had been affected by climate change.
"Honey flows aren't what they used to be and we need to look at sustainable measures to boost production, such as artificial nectar in the off-season," Mr Cannon said.
