If you read closely (imo), it’s the desperate class(es) on both supply and purchasing side that drove the poaching cycle. Generally speaking, ruling class are secure enough in their status they don’t need the “short term sale over the long term benefits” or the “look I’m special/unique too because I bought a really big bee that you don’t have.”
I didn't see much about the buyers of the bee in the article, but I imagine that someone buying a really big bee for thousands of dollars is unlikely to be in the 'desperate' classes. For a start they have access to thousands of dollars!
