Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Pure Oil hopes to export in future

Updated at 6:31 am on 15 November 2012

A consortium which has bought the agricultural division of Solid Energy's Biodiesel New Zealand says it intends to export to Asia in the future.

Pure Oil is owned by Midlands Seed, Southern Packers, agronomist Roger Lasham and manager Nick Murney.

The business includes the oil seed rape crop production, the oil extraction facility at Rolleston and product marketing.

Pure Oil says the Rolleston facility is operating at only a third of its capacity at the moment and intends to double that in the next two to three years.

Managing director Nick Murney says the company sells the product as canola oil to food industries. It's used in McDonalds and Heinz Wattie's products and is also sold as meal for stock feed mainly for the dairy and pork industries.

He says currently Pure Oil is focusing on the New Zealand market, but in time the company sees there will be an export opportunity.

Mr Murney says vegetable oil grown in New Zealand has a point of difference because it is GE-free and has the New Zealand Inc brand.

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