Canola farming in South Africa has expanded in recent years due to increases in global demand for canola oil and in August 2022, 121 000 hectares were under canola, up 21% from the previous year. The main producing area is in the Western Cape, where there are over 1,000 canola farmers.
How do you make canola oil in Canada?
For canola ¨C one of Canada¡¯s most widely grown crops ¨C it starts with a good squeeze. As the canola plant matures, its yellow flowers develop into pods, containing tiny black seeds. Similar to other plant-based oils, canola oil is made by crushing canola seeds. There are two main methods of crushing canola.
When did canola become a viable crop in South Africa?
Believe it or not, canola only became established as a viable crop here in 1996, when SOILL (Southern Oil Pty Ltd) opened the doors of its canola oil refinery in Swellendam. Apart from a dip during and after the Western Cape drought of 2015-2017, the industry has grown immensely.
Why is canola so difficult to process?
Although canola¡¯s high oil content makes it a valuable commodity, it also makes it difficult to process compared to seeds that contain less oil. For example, an oil processor in Pennsylvania recently tried to run canola through the extruder they use to process soybeans.