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Comment by tptacek | Hacker News Reader

I'm looking at your document and it shows no such increase over the last 10 years.

I'm less interested in the 30 year timespan, because other huge changes have occurred in that timespan, from shifts in agriculture to the collapse of honey bee populations due to the Varroa mite.

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Here is some more recent data: https://www.beeculture.com/2018-almond-pollination-market-ou...

In 2017, the average price of pollination was $184.43/hive. That is up from $125/hive in 2011.

This is a great source, because it goes into detail about supply and demand factors that are influencing those numbers, including a historic drought, hurricanes, and changes in California regulations about importing bee colonies.

I'm not sure what your point is, but you're a bit disingenuous. The OP said a 200% increase over the last 30 years (he never talked about the last ten). The data in the document stops in 2011, but it is well over 200% (in particular there is quite a jump around 2004). If we assume that prices did not go down in the last 10 years (likely) his statement is still true.

Reread the thread. I asked about the last 10 years; their response gave data over the last 30, but in the last 10 it's hovered between 100 and 125 (with lots of volatility). 2004 is, of course, more than 10 years ago.

By way of context: in the 30 year timespan covered by their document, almond acreage in California has more than tripled.

Well, given no other piece of information, assume the annual rate is constant and calculate it like that.

Or rate the cube root of 200% (30 year period = 3 * 10 year periods) = 26% increase in cost

Look at the document. It contains the information we're discussing. There's no need to extrapolate.

pollination "services" by literally trucking bees to new fields is a business that was popularized by one man in recent history.. the actual results of this are repeatedly disastrous, it seems .. The quick-draw response to "show me the prices" is badly insensitive to the way nature has worked for millennia.. this subject is fundamental to society across continents, yet off-the-handle remarks make it sound like a choice of bubble-gum flavors.. basically offensive and superficial

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