Zimbabwe wants farmers to grow more sunflowers across the country. They spend over $200 million each year buying cooking oil from other countries. Instead of buying it, they hope to make their own. Sunflower oil ranks just below olive oil for health benefits. Right at home, Zimbabwe makes oil from soya beans and cotton seeds, but they need more crops to feed their mills.
The country buys between 55,000 and 65,000 tons of sunflower oil from South Africa yearly, which costs between $240 million and $300 million. Professor Obert Jiri, who works as the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, talked about this during a farm event in Matabeleland North Province. He thinks farmers need help growing more sunflowers locally.
Their farming program asks people to plant crops that fit their local weather and soil. Sunflowers help families become less dependent on store-bought oil. Every family uses cooking oil daily. The country pays huge money for crude oil made from crushed sunflower seeds. Local farmers could grow these seeds and crush them nearby, saving lots of money for Zimbabwe.
Families can make oil with small machines that process just one bucket of seeds at a time. This helps cut down on how much oil each home needs to buy. Groups of farmers can bring their sunflowers together and make oil as a team. People in townships and villages can work together on this. Expert oil makers know the final steps, but basic oil pressing happens easily at home or in small groups.
Sunflowers handle dry weather better than many crops and grow well in different soils and weather patterns. The leftovers from making oil become sunflower meal. This meal feeds farm animals like dairy cows, chickens, pigs, and rabbits. It contains lots of protein, fiber, and some oil, which help animals grow strong and healthy.
Last year, Zimbabwe crushed 150,000 metric tons of soya beans for oil. Only one-third came from local farms. Farmers often choose between planting maize or soya beans each season. Many farmers do not know about the huge market for soya products. The market needs 500,000 metric tons of various soya items. Zimbabwe must plant more acres of these crops through better farmer training and proper money support.
Cotton seeds and sunflowers could help make more oil. Most factories in Zimbabwe can only process soya and cotton right now. Busisa Moyo leads United Refineries Limited and heads the Oil Expressers Association of Zimbabwe. He says companies would build sunflower processing plants if farmers grew enough crops to keep them busy. More buyers would encourage farmers to plant more sunflowers.
The country buys between 55,000 and 65,000 tons of sunflower oil from South Africa yearly, which costs between $240 million and $300 million. Professor Obert Jiri, who works as the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, talked about this during a farm event in Matabeleland North Province. He thinks farmers need help growing more sunflowers locally.
Their farming program asks people to plant crops that fit their local weather and soil. Sunflowers help families become less dependent on store-bought oil. Every family uses cooking oil daily. The country pays huge money for crude oil made from crushed sunflower seeds. Local farmers could grow these seeds and crush them nearby, saving lots of money for Zimbabwe.
Families can make oil with small machines that process just one bucket of seeds at a time. This helps cut down on how much oil each home needs to buy. Groups of farmers can bring their sunflowers together and make oil as a team. People in townships and villages can work together on this. Expert oil makers know the final steps, but basic oil pressing happens easily at home or in small groups.
Sunflowers handle dry weather better than many crops and grow well in different soils and weather patterns. The leftovers from making oil become sunflower meal. This meal feeds farm animals like dairy cows, chickens, pigs, and rabbits. It contains lots of protein, fiber, and some oil, which help animals grow strong and healthy.
Last year, Zimbabwe crushed 150,000 metric tons of soya beans for oil. Only one-third came from local farms. Farmers often choose between planting maize or soya beans each season. Many farmers do not know about the huge market for soya products. The market needs 500,000 metric tons of various soya items. Zimbabwe must plant more acres of these crops through better farmer training and proper money support.
Cotton seeds and sunflowers could help make more oil. Most factories in Zimbabwe can only process soya and cotton right now. Busisa Moyo leads United Refineries Limited and heads the Oil Expressers Association of Zimbabwe. He says companies would build sunflower processing plants if farmers grew enough crops to keep them busy. More buyers would encourage farmers to plant more sunflowers.
