Request for Oil production/Processing
(Location; Babil, Iraq)
Associated Documents:
High Plains sunflower guide
Oklahoma Canola
Canola Fact Sheet
Salt Tolerance Data
Question:
We are wondering if you have any edible oil experts; for both the production of the oil seeds and the processing on a medium to large scale? We are considering sunflower, soybean, cotton, corn or colza as potential seed oil crops. Right now we need to know about the feasibility of edible oil production/processing for Iraq and the scale of the project most likely to bring success. Let us know if you have any experts that can tackle this one..
Response:
I. Oil seed industry
A. A study should be done as to the feasibility of establishing an oil processing sector. The study outline should include:
1. Overview of the Local Edible Oil Industry
a. Raw materials production
b. Institutional Support
c. National Milling Capacity
d. Potential Products and Markets
2. Investment Opportunities
3. Investment Incentives
a. Economic Development Grants
b. Government Agribusiness Loans
4. Markets
a. Local and Regional
5. Competitive Advantage
a. Strategic Location
b. Materials and Labor Costs
c. Investment guarantees
d. Stability
e. Infrastructure
6. Profitability Analysis
a. Cost projection of plant
b. Estimated Operating Expenses for processing facilities
c. Potential profitability
d. Breakeven analysis
e. Sensitivity Analysis
f. Operation Planning Timeline
7. Key Players in the industry
8. Useful Contacts
9. References and sources of information
II. Oil seed production
A. Crop selection
1. Crops originally considered included sunflower, soybean, cotton, corn and colza (synonym rape, probably referring to any of the Brassica sp. other than canola (see below) grown for their oil seeds)
2. For Iraq’s environment, sunflower, canola (trademark name derived from “Canadian oil low acid”, a particular strain of Brassica napus developed in Canada that is low in erucic acid and glucosinolates) or safflower are believed to be most suitable.
3. Irrigation water is available but salinity and heat tolerance are areas of concern
4. Dr. Ma'ad Mohammed, a weed scientist from Iraq, seems to think that sunflower is the way to go.
5. Factors to be considered in crop selection include the following
a. Scale of crushing and oil processing unit will vary with the amount of oilseed available, which will vary with climate, irrigation water; land resources available for oilseed production and the economic competitiveness of oilseeds versus grain/fiber crops in the region in question. If oil is more valuable than meal, we need to pick a crop with high oil yield potential.
b. Cool season Brassica species such as canola and camelina may be more advantageous than warm season crops such as sunflower or safflower. I have never worked with colza, or turnip, although it is a Brassica with a relatively high oil yield. All of the Brassicas have relatively high oil yield, running from about 34- to 40% by weight. My guess is that its meal fraction would have less value than canola or camelina.
c. For the warm season crops, if meal has a high value, soybean and cotton might have a potential, given the right climate.
(1) Cotton and soybean have similar oil content, ranging from 16- to 19%.
(2) Soybean is a temperate crop and will not tolerate very high temperatures during bloom through seed fill.
(3) Cottonseed meal can only be used for ruminant livestock, and not as a food.
(4) Soybean meal is similar in composition, but can be used for a broader range of products in food and feed.
(5) Sunflower
(a) Yields are about 1500 kg/ha vs about 1400 kg/ha for wheat in the Iraq environment
(b) Drought and frost hardy. Sunflower is cold tolerant, so that it can be planted at soil temperatures of 50 degrees F and can tolerate a bit of frost as a seedling.
(c) Oil yield (solvent extracton) is about 40- to 45% of the seed weight.
(d) Assuming a seed yield of 1500 kg/ha with an oil yield of 44%, oil yield would be 97 gallons per acre or 240 gallons per hectare.
(e) Sunflower has moderate salinity tolerance (yields begin to be affected at a soil EC of 4.8 compared to 6 for conventional height wheat and 8.6 for semi-dwarf winter wheat).
(f) Much higher yields could be achieved under irrigation and with good crop management.
(g) Sunflower has to be checked regularly for insect populations and growers should be ready to treat if pest levels warrant. There may be some issues controlling insects and birds in sunflower.
(6) Canola
(a) This food-quality rapeseed has the best salinity tolerance. It has a salinity tolerance slightly better than barley, which is known as a salt tolerant crop, and appears to be an important crop in the region.
(b) Canola is a cool season annual
(c) Has an oil content (solvent extraction) of 38 and 44%, with an average of perhaps 40%.
(d) Matures as weather warms in the spring.
(e) Can be combine harvested with conventional combines. It is difficult to predict yields in a region where it has not previously been cultivated. With its salt tolerance and its cool season growth habit, it should be an excellent choice. Canola has small seed and stands can be difficult to achieve is soils which tend to crust with salinity.
(7) Safflower
(a) Has the best drought tolerance of the above three species.
(b) It has a similar yield and oil content to sunflower.
(c) It is less widely cultivated in the U.S. and most of the world due to more issues with plant disease. We find that it performs best in our drier climates. It tends to have foliar diseases in humid climates.
III. Oil Seed Processing
A. The feasibility of processing seeds for edible oil production/processing for Iraq depends on a number of factors. Once the feasibility is known, the type of and size of equipment will depend on the oil content of the crops selected and the scale of production.
1. Sunflower and soybean processing facilities may be in place.
2. Solvent (hexane) extraction is used in the US
3. Cold press extruders were used earlier and may be the best choice for small scale operations. Cold pressing will leave 6- to 8 percent of the available oil in the meal.
4. If the oil is cold pressed, the meal could be used for animal feed or human consumption. It is high in protein and used for feed as well as food products.
5. Cotton has gossypol and generally the oil needs to have that removed. Corn is lower in oil but is good oil.