The smoke drifting across Mount Maunganui Central Parade area is the remnant of more than $2 million worth of stock feed going up in flames.
There was about 8000 tonnes of palm kernel in the J Swap warehouse at the intersection of Hull Road and Totara Street which was destroyed in this morning's fire.
The J Swap warehouse destroyed in this morning's fire.
Feed supplier Bill Webb says the price of palm kernel is sitting at about $260 per tonne, but this stock loss could see the price rise.
This would come after it fell by about $30 in the last few weeks owing to less demand.
The price of palm kernel got up to $347 tonne in December during the drought conditions.
Palm kernel is the leftover product after kernel oil is pressed out from the nut in the palm fruit. It is one of the more popular dairy feeds in New Zealand because of its high protein content as well as its comparatively cheap price.
Keep checking SunLive for more information about this fire.
At the scene? Call 0800 SUNLIVE with your news tip.
email photos to [email protected]
7 comments
Not cheap
Posted on 08-07-2011 10:00 | By Writerman
"It is one of the more popular dairy feeds in New Zealand because of its high protein content as well as its comparatively cheap price." - only if you don't count the cost to the environment due to the deforestation going on to grow this stuff. Cows prefer grass. We need to get the soil healthy again so that farmers can grow enough of it.
Waste product
Posted on 08-07-2011 20:54 | By dgk
Considering that it's a waste product that is left over after producing Palm Oil, I'm always amazed at how expensive it is. Or is that a function of the huge demand for this waste?
Not just environment
Posted on 09-07-2011 08:23 | By ronillian
THe market for Palm Kernel doesn't just contribute to deforestation: it also causes destruction of habitat for threatened orangutans species AND results in throwing indigenous tribes off the land that they have lived on and are connected to. And on the other side of the coin it allows for dairy intensification which as we all know is getting a bad name for causing foulilng of our waterways and is costing other sectors of NZ economy dearly for the loss of its branding image. We should not be importing the stuff and being part of all that.
I'm confused about deforestation
Posted on 09-07-2011 12:22 | By Openknee8ted
The nut comes from the Palm Fruit which grows on a tree ... do they cut down the tree to get to the fruit?
Openknee8ted, are you serious?
Posted on 09-07-2011 17:57 | By ronillian
Er, no, they don't cut down the palm trees... uh, they cut down the rainforests to plant the bloomin' palm trees. Orangutans don't inhabit palm tree forests, nor do indigenous tribes! :-)
Which country?
Posted on 09-07-2011 22:23 | By Openknee8ted
Where is this happening?
Indonesia
Posted on 10-07-2011 23:52 | By ronillian
Cutting down rainforests/deforestation has contributed to making Indonesia the 3 rd biggest contributor of carbon emissions in the world. And of course is threatening the extinction of orangutans. This article is useful: http://news.mongabay.com/2006/0425-oil_palm.html
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.