Raw cash from Nigerian sunflower oil

SUNFLOWER OIL

Global economic changes in trade and capital markets are putting pressures on West African countries to become more competitive in export markets. Preferential market access by Nigeria in traditional exports (oil palm, cocoa, rubber etc) has also been eroded.

This is markedly manifested in structural surpluses that these traditional crops have been posting since the late 1980’s. Unless Nigeria diversifies its agro industrial base to less traditional areas, future prosperity from export trade is not very promising. One of such nontraditional crops is the sunflower crop. It is somewhat difficult to imagine that the sunflower plant, Helianthus Annuus, a highly tolerant annual crop that grows extensively in all the nooks and crannies of this country, albeit under wild- uncoordinated conditions, is still widely uncultivated by Nigerian farmers. Large Fields of hybrid sunflower plantations is a common sight in Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali in the West African sub region where it is widely cultivated.

In Nigeria, pockets of cultivated fields exist in the Zaria, Gboko, Katsina Ala, Yandev axis with less than 200 hectarage total size. The sunflower is a very useful oil seed/crop and the derivable oleochemical-sunflower oil possesses high export value chiefly because of its polyunsaturated fatty acids (oleic-36%, and linoleic-49% and a low melting point (-160C).

There are numerous varieties of sunflower seed. Hybrid varieties have a thin soft shell and high oil content. Most indigenous local varieties have thick, hard shells and relatively low oil content. Although many sub regional (Ghana and Cote d’ Ivoire), commercial farmers prefer to grow crossed varieties, as the plants, when harvested, can provide seeds for the next growing season, the progeny cannot be used for this purpose as fresh seed stocks have to be purchased every growing season.

However, the added premium offered by merchants to processors for high oil content is compelling enough to cultivate hybrids at Zaria and the Middle Belt areas.

The seeds can be sold in April and as a late crop in August. Spacing is 0.5, flowering is about 40 days. The crop matures at 80-100 days Small holders can harvest the crop by hand pulling off the sunflower heads when dry and rubbing off the seeds.

The seeds are processed using available conventional presses or continuous cast expellers. Both give an expression use of about 52 per cent. Good quality sunflower oil has a very pleasant flavour and can be consumed without further purification. EU countries imported more than 312 TMT (thousand metric tonnes) from ACP and Asian countries in 1994. The oil is hydrogenated into margarine, mellorine, shortenings, and baker’s fat. The oil is also sued in the soap, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

The miscella (oil cake) is a good source of protein metabolisable energy, vitamins and minerals for the livestock feed industry.

This project is recommended to agro industrial investors, who are desirous of venturing into a refreshingly different agri-business that offers better rewards than conventional/traditional sectors.