Canola plant keeps my pockets well-oiled
Jimmy Irungu on his rapeseed farm in Laikipia County. The crop, according to him, does well in the same climatic conditions that favour maize and wheat, but is well-suited for soils that do not crack.
What you need to know:
- Jimmy Irungu quit wheat and maize farming to grow canola. Now he longer worries about wild animals destroying his crops and he gets very handsome returns
- Common canola diseases include black-leg and white mould while birds also attack during the pod-filling stage where they eat the green seeds as they form.
- Depending on climate conditions, farming techniques and seed quality, an acre yields between one to two tonnes.
- Nutritionists observe that canola is one of the best oils because it has less saturated fats, thus helps lower cholesterol levels.
Jimmy Irungu’s farm in Marmanet, Laikipia County, can best be described as a field of gold.
It is a sea of yellow flowers, which blend beautifully with the green stems hosting them.
The flowers stretch as far as the eyes can see, seemingly touching the hills and the sky yonder, as they create a magnificent scenery.
The crop on Irungu’s farm is rapeseed and he grows it on 100 acres in total (50 in Marmanet and the rest in Sipili) for the extraction of canola oil. Of the 100, the farmer owns 20 acres and has leased the rest.
To end up with the oil, the plant’s seeds are dried, crushed and then cold-pressed.
“I switched from maize and wheat to rapeseed in 2019 in search of higher returns. The cost of production for the canola plant is also lower,” says Irungu, adding the plant also matures in about 100 days, unlike maize which he has farmed since 2005, that lasts six months on the farm.
The plant has also helped Irungu escape conflict with wild animals, in particular elephants, which used to invade his maize farm after straying from Rumuruti and Marmanet forests in Laikipia West.
Canola, according to Irungu who works with the county government, does well in the same weather conditions that favour maize and wheat, but is well-suited for soils that do not crack.
One acre requires 4 kilos of rapeseeds and the crop can be planted manually, but use of a planter is recommended.
“The seeds are planted from a half to three quarters inches in the soil. They should not be planted any deeper than one inch because they will not germinate.
They should be spaced six to nine inches apart,” says the farmer, adding he spent Sh15,000 per acre to farm the crop.
Adjust the settings
Canola plant needs well-drained soils, which must not be acidic or water-logged. The soil must be tested, he advises.
“Apply sulphur-rich fertiliser after planting, but the input should not come into direct contact with seeds to avoid damage,” says Irungu, noting that weeding may not be necessary as the plant competes well with most weeds.
Common canola diseases include black-leg and white mould while birds also attack during the pod-filling stage where they eat the green seeds as they form.
“Periodic monitoring of insects, weeds, diseases and fertility often reduces crop losses.”
Depending on climate conditions, farming techniques and seed quality, an acre yields between one to two tonnes.
“The crop is harvested by the same machines one uses for wheat or barley such as combine harvesters. What you have to do is adjust the settings because canola seeds are smaller than maize or wheat grains. I sell a kilo of canola seeds at between Sh40 and Sh50,” says Irungu.
Irungu on his canola farm in Laikipia County. He fetches good returns from the oil crop as the country has unmet demand for both its industrial and domestic use.
As many other farmers growing the crop, he does the farming on contract, selling the seeds to Agventure, the company that also offers him planting materials and ensures he grows them to the standards they need.
He fetches good returns from the oil crop as the country has unmet demand for both its industrial and domestic use.
“The buyer uses a score card that determines the bonus that we get from the crop. We are guaranteed of the market and know the price before planting.”
Proven ability
Canola oil has seven per cent cholesterol, while sunflower has 12 per cent, olive oil 15 per cent, maize oil 20 per cent and coconut oil 22 per cent, making it the best for making healthy oils.
Besides the pure oil, one can make a variety of products by blending it with herbs, chilli, honey and raspberry.
Nutritionists observe that canola is one of the best oils because it has less saturated fats, thus helps lower cholesterol levels.
As a cooking oil, it is good for sautéing, baking, stir-frying and grilling, among others. It is also used in making of salads and sauces.
Peter Maina, an agronomist with Amiran, says canola plant fixes nitrogen in the soil making it an appropriate crop for rotation.
“It also contains chemical compounds, which repel cereal pests.”
Maina explains that canola has demonstrated a proven ability to suppress rye and brome grasses, which are highly competitive weeds, most problematic in all wheat and barley growing areas in the years.
The weeds that are hardy and vigorous during growth become resistant to herbicides.
The agronomist observes that most cereals are shallow-rooted but rapeseed plants have deep roots that go up to two feet into the ground, thus, help in bringing nutrients to the top soil so that other crops use it.
“Being a deep rooting plant, it opens the soil structure and enhances biological function in soils which is very vital before wheat or maize is planted on a field,” he state.
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Benefits
1. Canola plant produces Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids that are otherwise only found in specific species of fish and are known to prevent Arthritis, Diabetes and Heart disease besides giving many other health benefits.
2. The crop is a flower like plant of the cabbage family, taking between 80-150 days to mature, therefore, can also be rotated with other common garden crop
3. Canola cakes are highly nutritious for chicken and other domestic animals.
4. Canola is grown for its highly nutritious oil, which is extracted from the seeds.
