A very interesting article appeared in The Conversation May 23, 2018, titled “The farmer wants a hive? Inside the world of renting bees by Manu Saunders from the University of New England. Currently the Australian beekeeping industry has around 600,000 managed hives worth around $100 million to Australia economy. The beekeepers have an important role in crop pollination. Currently the almond industry is one of the biggest rents of honeybee hives. It is a growing market with hives being rented for $70-$100 according to Manu Saunders article.
Link: (https://theconversation.com/the-farmer-wants-a-hive-inside-the-world-of-renting-bees-94904)