By Martha John savior, Kitgum Uganda
St. Francis Press Sunflower Mission in Lamwo district of Northern Uganda has urged farmers in the region to value and invest in sunflower cultivation.
Mr. Kidega Geoffrey, the sunflower Press Manager in a telephone interview on Friday told this reporter that, sunflower has a lot of products like cooking oil and sunflower cakes which is quality feeds to animals such as pig and poultry.
He said, hybrid seeds of Sunflower are obtained from Victoria Seeds of company in Kampala or from the branch in Gulu City, Northern Uganda.
He stated that sunflower cooking oil was tested by Uganda Bureau of standard and found out that, the cooking oil is good for human consumption.
He stressed out that, with the increase of prices of goods in the market and cooking oil being the most expensive commodity, one can generate income and be able to support the family through investing in sunflower.
Meanwhile Mrs. Abalo Dorothy, secretary for farming in Lamwo district said via phone that though it is late to grow sunflowers by the beginning of this dry season, she is preparing those interested to start planning for the activities by early next year around 1st -15th of September, 2023.
She explained that, one hector of Land which measures 20 width and 100 length with improved seeds can produce 1000 kilograms of Sunflower seeds and when grinded one can get good amount of cooking oil and sunflower cakes.
Mrs. Abalo narrated that sunflower oil is totally organic and pure that any preservatives is not added on.
Mr. Joe chairperson of St. Francis Sunflower Press in Lamwo district said, the main purpose of their call was to inform public about sunflower products including quality cooking oil that is not harmful to humans.
He underscored that, they are mobilizing Farmers and those interested to start investing in sunflower than traditional food or cash crops like cotton and coffee which used to be cash crops, millet, simsim groundnuts, cassava and potatoes that used to be both cash and food crops.
The St. Francis Sunflower Press chairperson appealed to the community not to fear any cost that one can incur in the production process till harvest time but rather look at the benefits that one can achieve later from the cooking oil or after selling the sunflower byproducts.