Whanganui apiary Kiwi Honey has lost a third of its annual crop of manuka honey to a fire that ripped through its plant during the weekend.
The fire broke out at the Longacre Rd extracting plant about midday on Saturday. One shed was already alight when fire crews arrived and they had difficulty controlling it. An adjoining shed was also lost to the flames.
Kiwi Honey director Paul Sergeant says all the company's extracting equipment was destroyed, along with honey being stored for export.
Mr Sergeant says the total value of the loss will be about $1.5 million, however the plant was insured and he is determined to rebuild.
He says it is too early to say what caused the fire.
