Sunflowers are widely cultivated in Shinyanga, Singida, Dodoma, Iringa, Tabora, Morogoro, Ruvuma, Mbeya, Arusha, Manyara, and Rukwa regions. This crop is cultivated for food and commerce.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER DURING PRODUCTION
Choosing the best type of seed. Choose the best type of seed that is resistant to diseases, pests, that gives high yields and high oil content. Also choose a type of seed that matures at the same time to make harvesting easier.
APPLYING FERTILIZER
Fertilize the soil using compost and manure to get more and better crops.
CONTROLLING INSECTS AND DISEASES
Sunflowers are attacked by diseases of the leaves, roots and spikes that cause a decrease in yield. So it is important to control them in order to get more and better yields. Birds also reduce yields by 50 percent or more. The way to control birds is by chasing them and planting early maturing seeds.
Sunflowers are attacked by diseases of the leaves, roots and spikes that cause a decrease in yield. So it is important to control them in order to get more and better yields. Birds also reduce yields by 50 percent or more. The way to control birds is by chasing them and planting early maturing seeds.
PREPARATION BEFORE HARVEST;
INSPECTION
Inspect the field to see if the sunflower is mature. Sunflowers mature between four and six months from planting. At that time, the seeds have a moisture content of 25 percent. It is important to harvest sunflowers early to avoid the attacks of rats, ants and destructive birds.
INSPECTION
Inspect the field to see if the sunflower is mature. Sunflowers mature between four and six months from planting. At that time, the seeds have a moisture content of 25 percent. It is important to harvest sunflowers early to avoid the attacks of rats, ants and destructive birds.
SYMPTOMS OF MATURE SUNFLOWER
Suke changes color from yellow to black. The tips of the spikes wither and turn from yellow to brown. HARVESTING, DRYING AND TRANSPORTATION
Suke changes color from yellow to black. The tips of the spikes wither and turn from yellow to brown. HARVESTING, DRYING AND TRANSPORTATION
Equipment for harvesting and carrying from the farm
Knife, Baskets, Sacks, Straws Drying equipment, Tarpaulins, Mats, Best vaccine, Transport equipment from the farm, Wheelbarrows, Tractor beds, Carts drawn by animals, Cars HARVESTING Sunflowers are harvested by hand where the spike is cut using a knife.
Knife, Baskets, Sacks, Straws Drying equipment, Tarpaulins, Mats, Best vaccine, Transport equipment from the farm, Wheelbarrows, Tractor beds, Carts drawn by animals, Cars HARVESTING Sunflowers are harvested by hand where the spike is cut using a knife.
Also, a machine (combine harvester) is used to harvest sunflowers in countries that grow sunflowers in abundance. Sunflower seeds are placed in baskets that are used to harvest sunflowers in the field. The sunflowers are then packed in sacks and shipped home ready for drying.
DRYING
There are two stages of sunflower drying; drying spikes and drying sunflower seeds. Drying the ears. Masuke is spread on a good seedbed at a depth of no more than 30 cm so that they can dry well. They can also be spread on tarps, mats or clean floors. The purpose of this step is to dry the sunflower seeds to make it easier to grind.
THRESHING Threshing is done after making sure that the sunflower heads are well dried. Sunflower kernels are threshed by hand, where the seeds are separated by gently beating the kernels using a tree. It is important to thresh gently to avoid splitting the seeds. Spread on a good mattress, tarps or mats.
DRYING THE SEED
Sunflower seeds are dried in the sun by spreading them on good pots, tarps, mats or clean floors. Spread the seeds at a depth of no more than 4 cm so that they can dry well.
The aim of this step is to dry the seeds after threshing to reach the moisture level required for safe storage which is 8 percent.
HOW TO IDENTIFY WELL DRIED SEEDS
To cover the seeds
Dry seeds peel easily when touched. Pouring into a container like a bowl, the dried seeds make a loud sound when poured into such containers. Dry seeds shine Using a moisture meter. Well-dried seeds measure 8 percent.
sieving and sifting
Sifting and winnowing is done to remove debris such as stones, insects, butterflies, rotten or cracked seeds. Sunflower seeds are sifted using sieves or hand-operated, motorized or electric machines. These machines are capable of sifting and sifting 60 to 350 kg per hour depending on the type of machine and the size of the machine itself
SAVE IT
Hulled sunflower is stored in the form of rice in the best warehouses, i.e. sheds, silos or bins. Sunflowers to be stored in house warehouses should be packed in sacks and arranged in chaga alternately. To make it easier to inspect the warehouse, leave a space of one meter from the wall. Seal all parts of the barn to prevent rodents from entering.
Rats are very fond of eating sunflower seeds, and it causes a serious shortage of seeds that results in a loss of 30 percent during the three months of storage. The percentage of loss can be higher depending on the number of rats and the availability of other foods at that time. Uses of Sunflower Seeds Sunflower seeds, especially those with stripes, can be eaten after being fried or dried. They are also used in bread making. Sunflower seeds are processed to obtain an oil product.
PROCESSING SUNFLOWER SEEDS TO GET OIL
Equipment
Oil extraction machine
Clean filter
A bucket
Packaging
Pot
Balance Raw Materials
Sunflower seeds
Water
Salt
OIL EXTRACTION METHOD
Choose the best sunflower seeds
Dry them in the sun for 1 to 2 hours
Put it on a grade milking machine or Ram
Skim the oil
Strain the oil with a cloth or a clean strainer
Measure the extracted fat.
Add water and salt. In 10 liters of oil put one liter of water and 200 grams of salt.
Put the oil in the boiling container (pot)
Boil until all the water is gone
When the sound of boiling stops, it is an indication that the water has run out.
Drain, let cool, then strain through a clean cloth or strainer
Pack in clean, dry containers with lids
Labels are fast
Store in a clean, dry and dark place.
USAGE
Oil is used in various recipes and contains the following nutrients: - Fat 100 grams Energy 900 kilocalories
AVERAGE SUNFLOWER YIELD PER ACRE.
If you find a good farm, one acre of sunflowers can give you between 5-10 sacks depending on the type of seed you used and also how your farm was cared for.