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Dar es Salaam – Four new varieties of sunflower are expected to increase crop yields.
The production of cooking oils is also expected to increase.
Currently, Tanzania imports 60% of sunflower seed cooking oils, according to a 2017 Bank of Tanzania report.
The national average yield is 0.6 tons compared to the potential yield of 2 -3 tons per acre.
However, new varieties developed with the support of the Agricultural Market Development Fund (AMDT) should turn the tide
The program aims to improve sunflower seed varieties and production practices.
Denmark, Ireland and Sweden have created this program to facilitate private sector investment. by providing improved seed varieties. It also encourages the public sector through responsible research institutes to invest in the longer-term development of breeding capabilities for new hybrid seed varieties.
Thanks to the AMDT grant, quality food products work with the Ilonga Agricultural Research Institute (Iari) to conduct two-year field trials
Once completed, four hybrid varieties of sunflower high oleic acid will be released.
The new seeds will add two more recently proven hybrid sunflower seeds. "Then we will pass a national performance test in the third year and our goal is to take four varieties in four locations in Tanzania that represent the altitude, the climatic differences and the growing conditions, so that we will be able to get the best results. after the release of these seeds we can offer the seeds to our sunflower growers, "said Sherrie Woodring, CEO of QFP
Currently, most farmers use local or open-pollinated varieties.
The News seeds will have an oil content ranging from 35 to 42 percent
"If you look at the current market price, sunflower growers get about 500 shillings. / kilo but with the new varieties we will be able to offer up to Sh850 / kilo because we know that our seeds will have a high oil content during processing and because of this we will be able to sell on the market. The other aspect is that processors will get more oilcake and meal that is healthier for animal feed than those obtained with local seeds, "she explained.
The Ministry of Agriculture would support the production of varieties. The government supports the company with storage facilities around areas where shopping centers are established to avoid any post-harvest sunflower loss as the company does the collection.
"We are also working on irrigation so that sunflower growers can do rotational farming with other high value crops and irrigated crops. We hope that we will continue to obtain the support of the government at all levels to build a sustainable program that the community can adopt and that other players can then adapt and come together. " said Mrs. Woodring
. According to Iari researcher Frank Reuben, the trials were progressing well
He said germination was almost 100 percent at Milundikwa in Rukwa, with promising plant vigor due to the timing of planting. However, other sites experienced germination problems due to heavy rains and had to repeat the planting.
"Data collection is underway to test crop maturity and other scientific factors but we have seen better performance, yield, disease, pest resistance and drought tolerance. "
We have yet to conclude other analyzes of data such as oil content," he said, to Hombolo and Makutupora in Dodoma, Ukiriguru in Mwanza, Tumbi in Tabora and Milundikwa in Rukwa [19659020] The research institution facilitates the planting of new high-oleic hybrids – Michel, Archeo, Ancilla and Soleado – at all trials
Field trials test how all four varieties meet various land preparation techniques, inputs and protocols.
Sunflower varieties with high oleic acid content give a neutral taste and are more stable at higher temperatures. are less likely to produce harmful compounds during cooking and they achieve high prices in the global pharmaceutical market.
The Great African Food Company and QFP in collaboration with World Vision Tanzania and Vision Fund Tanzania with support from AMDT seeks to increase agricultural revenues using technology (hybrid sunflower seeds), financial services, good agricultural practices, business ethics and quality inputs
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