- Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries executive Leonard Bor said Kenya has unmet demand for sunflower, canola, soya bean and linseed for both industrial and domestic needs.
- He said although the oil crops are drought resistant and adaptable to many ecological zones, Kenya is currently producing less than 50 per cent of her needs.
Nakuru county government is promoting the cultivation of canola (rapeseed) and sunflower to reduce the import of edible oils.
The administration begun a campaign encouraging small holder farmers to take up oil crop cultivation whose huge unmet demand guarantees a ready local and international market.
Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries executive Leonard Bor said Kenya has unmet demand for sunflower, canola, soya bean and linseed for both industrial and domestic needs.
He said although the oil crops are drought resistant and adaptable to many ecological zones, Kenya is currently producing less than 50 per cent of her needs.
“Kenya spends at least Sh160 billion annually to import edible oils from other countries mainly Southeast Asian countries. Governor Susan Kihika’s administration has embarked on canola and sunflower promotion project to boost local production of the oil crops and address the cost of edible oils in the country,” Bor said.
He added, “Kenyan manufacturers are grappling with huge deficits in production of Soya beans, canola, linseed and sunflower."
"Key players, who manufacture edible oils locally have resorted to importing Sunflower and Soya bean from Tanzania and Uganda to sustain processing demand.”
The executive said farmers can also process sunflower and canola seeds at household levels into cooking oil.
He spoke during a stakeholders’ sensitisation forum convened by the Agriculture and Food Authority on the production and extraction of nuts and oil from canola and sunflower crop.
Linseed which does not yield edible oil is used for industrial purposes.
Bor said the county government is determined to have farmers access quality oil crop seeds and enhance agriculture extension services for farmers towards increasing edible oil products.
He said the oil crops industries had the potential to create over 200,000 jobs in the county directly and indirectly through the establishment of cottage industries and production of livestock feed.
Under the initiative, the county government will coordinate the distribution of certified planting material to farmers.
It will also distribute subsidised fertiliser, provide market linkages and enhance value addition to boost farmers’ earnings.
According to data from the Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate under AFA, Kenya produces only 34 per cent of its edible oils and fat requirements.
The deficit is imported mainly from South Asian countries.
According to AFA, the country remains a net importer of vegetable oils as local production has not grown to meet local demand.
This is despite the fact that many oil seeds such as canola, sunflower, simsim, coconut and groundnuts can be grown and processed locally.
AFA said the country’s import bill of edible oils has been increasing at an annual rate of 15 per cent due to skyrocketing demand locally.
Bor said Kenya consumes 900 tonnes of edible oils annually of which only six per cent is sourced locally.
The executive said sunflower grows well in areas with sparse rainfall and the soil should be slightly acidic with a pH of between 6.0 and 7.5.
Two main categories of sunflower-Hybrid Variety and Open Pollinated Variety—are grown in the country.
Several hybrid varieties which include Sunbeam, Mammoth, Autumn Beauty, Teddy Bear and Kenya Fedha, are grown in different parts of the country. They mature in three to four months.
Bor said the hybrid varieties have higher oil content and better yields per acre averaging 25 bags.
The Open Pollinated Varieties have the advantage that their seed can be recycled four times.
Sunflower by-products such as sunflower cake, have a ready market in the animal feeds manufacturers’ industries, Bor said.
He said farmers can make more profits if they incorporate value addition in the enterprise as compared to selling the raw seed.
“Canola is grown for its highly nutritious oil, which is extracted from its seeds. The plant produces Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids that are otherwise only found in fish. They are known to prevent arthritis, diabetes and heart disease among giving many other health benefits."
"Canola cakes are highly nutritious for chicken and other domestic animals. Canola has only seven per cent cholesterol level, while sunflower oil has 12 per cent, olive oil has 15 per cent, maize oil has 20 per cent and coconut oil has 22 per cent. If you process 50kgs of hybrid sunflower seed you get 16 litres of oil,” the executive said.
Bor said Canola—a flower like plant of the cabbage family—takes between 80-150 days to mature, therefore, can be rotated with other common garden crops.
Oil crops have been found to reduce erosion, improve soil water retention and lead to fewer weeds, pests and diseases.
Oil crop yields are 25 per cent more compared to other crops.
The executive said some crops are shallow-rooted, especially cereals. Canola, he added with its deep roots that go up to two feet into the ground, help in pumping nutrients to the topsoil so that other crops use it.
The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Organisation has developed about 14 varieties of canola.
The oil plant grows in both high-altitude and drought-tolerant areas.