Canola is an oilseed crop that is mainly grown in the Western Cape.
Official crop forecasts for canola were only started in the 1997/98 production season. The area planted to canola increased by 47%, from 17 000 ha in the 1998/99 production season to 25 000 ha in the 1999/2000 season. The production also increased from 21 000 tons in 1998/99 to 23 000 tons in 1999/2000, which represents a 9% increase.
Estimated plantings, production and yield of canola 1997/98 to1999/2000 are as follows:
|
Season |
1997/98 |
1998/99 |
1999/2000 |
|
Plantings
(ha) Production
(t) Yield
(t/ha) |
13
000 11
000 0,85 |
17
000 21
000 1,24 |
25
000 23
000 0,92 |
The production of canola in South Africa is expected to grow in future because the local demand for canola exceeds the local supply and good prices are therefore expected.
Canola competes with other plant oils, mainly sunflower oil and soya oil, on the local market. South Africa is a net importer of plant oils. The domestic demand for plant oils is estimated at 720 000 tons per year. Approximately 300 000 to 350 000 tons of plant oils are produced in South Africa and the balance is imported primarily as sunflower oil and soya oil.
The biggest sales point for canola in the Western Cape is the industrial market because of its favourable emulsifying characteristics. The market for bottled canola oil has room for growth because it is not well known among consumers. It is also fairly unknown in the industrial deep-frying market. Canola is a good source of protein in animal feed and large quantities of protein for animal feeds have to be imported every year. Therefore the domestic consumption of canola is expected to increase.
Prices paid to producers in the 1999/2000 season varied between R1 200 and R1 260 per ton.