It has been a decade since Bloemfontein farmer Pierre Hugo first began experimenting with a special type of sunflower cultivar, which led to his founding the agro-processing business Vergezocht Plant Oils (VPO).
According to the factory manager at VPO, Franz Homsek, Hugo had heard about a high-oleic (HO) sunflower cultivar that was different to traditional cultivars due to the dietary fat composition of the oil that could be pressed from its seed.
“The HO cultivar is considered rich in high-oleic acid oils [omega-9 oils] and contains far lower levels of saturated fats and omega-6 polyunsaturates than traditional sunflower seed.”
Hugo planted the first trials on his farm, Vergezocht, in 2005, and immediately began experimenting with pressing the seeds.
A SPECIAL CULTIVAR
Today, VPO makes its oil from seeds produced by the HO sunflower cultivar PAN 7158HO, distributed in South Africa by Pannar.
Homsek says the older HO cultivars delivered lower yields than traditional sunflower, which meant that farmers were paid a premium.
“New HO cultivars that should produce the same type of yield as conventional sunflower are now being investigated.”
VPO contracts growers to farm its seed in accordance with specific production practices. “We have a strict policy against the use of pesticides and herbicides. Although we’re not certified as organic, we try to produce the product as naturally as possible, and expect our growers to adhere to certain standards.”
The number of hectares cultivated varies, depending on carryover stocks, order levels and climatic conditions.
After harvest, seed is delivered to a dedicated silo at Senwes at De Brug. Senwes buys the oilseed from the grower as per any normal sunflower transaction.
“As we get orders, we buy the seed back from Senwes at the Safex price,” explains Homsek.
この記事は Farmer's Weekly の September 6, 2019 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Farmer's Weekly の September 6, 2019 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
