Rapeseed cake – a cost-effective alternative: UFOP
In Germany, UFOP reports that decentralized oil mills are providing a considerable contribution towards supplying their regions with rapeseed cake. Due to the special method used to make rapeseed cake, this GVO-free protein feed contains more fat than rapeseed meal, with fat being a major energy source in animal feed.
Whereas prices for GVO-free soybean meal delivered free to yard jumped in the early summer due to tight supply and rising world market prices, rapeseed cake and rapeseed meal only saw a comparatively slight price rise. However, rapeseed meal was temporarily more expensive than rapeseed cake. As demand slowed, prices went down again. Above all, rapeseed meal fell to new lows, while oilseed cake remained at the same level. Soybean meal remained relatively expensive and most recently even surged, driven by firm forward prices and the weak euro which also made imports more expensive.
The rise also pulled up asking prices for the competing meals. However, as demand for rapeseed meal continues to be slack, nearby batches that are unloaded onto the market offer opportunities from time to time. Protein in rapeseed meal is even less costly, Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH reports. The two-year average price free farm for rapeseed meal protein was 30 per cent below that for 45 % soybean meal protein. Clearly, not all animal farmers are aware of the ruminant feed cost saving potential rapeseed meal offers. For this reason, UFOP believes that there is still a considerable need for information and advice.
Category: Fuels
