New South Wales Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders is confident that authorities can eliminate the varroa mite from the state, despite relaxing a lockdown on the movement of beehives in low-risk areas.

Varroa destructor was first detected in surveillance hives in the port of Newcastle late last month and has now been found at 40 properties across New South Wales, including near Narrabri, 400 kilometres from the original site.

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