Most farmers prefer to sell their sunflower as seeds and grain rather than process it because they receive sales income immediately. But now that Mrs. Kamuwikeni is adding value to her sunflower harvest, she is making twice the money she used to make. A bag of sunflower weighing 25 kilograms is sold at 150 Zambia Kwacha (about $6.60 US).
Can processing sunflower into oil boost income for small-scale farmers?
Bubala Soko is the agricultural extension officer for Kalichero Agriculture Camp. He says that adding value by processing sunflower into oil can boost income for small-scale farmers. Mr. Soko explains: ¡°Sunflower is a crop that can improve income levels of farmers if farmers add value to their produce.
How much does Naomi kamuwikeni sell a bag of sunflower?
Mrs Kamuwikeni can sell a 25-kg bag of sunflower for 150 Zambia Kwacha ($6.60 US). Or she can process that bag into 10 litres of cooking oil and sell it for 430 Kwacha ($19 US). It¡¯s seven o¡¯clock in the morning and Naomi Kamuwikeni is quickly walking to the oil expeller at Gondar market. She is carrying sunflowers to process into oil.
Is sunflower a good crop?
Sunflower is a good crop because farmers also sell the by-product of sunflower cake.¡± Mrs. Kamuwikeni plans to buy an oil expeller and connect her farm to electricity so that she can start processing oil on her own. She explains, ¡°I believe this will also increase my income from sunflower.
