An international study of the number of bees and other pollinators has found that, so far, their worldwide decline isn't limiting crop yields.

The study, in the latest edition of Current Biology, found yields of most crops have grown about 1.5 per cent each year since the 1960s, though in some places a bee shortage are now affecting crop production.

Chairman of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, Lindsay Bourke, says the results show professional apiarists are working hard to overcome bee diseases and pollinate essential food crops.

"Crop pollinators, they maintain their hives and keep them healthy so they can still do the main crops," he says.

"It's just that people with small gardens and things won't get their fruit trees pollinated any more, if varroa destructor gets into our country the same as it has done around the world."

ABC Rural