Aerial drone view of sunflower fields in Zambia's Eastern Province at golden hour, small farming cooperative, traditional African landscape with modern oil mill building in background, warm afternoon light
15 TPD Sunflower Oil Processing Plant in Zambia
Smallholder-linked sunflower oil mill with dehulling, screw pressing, and partial refinery — connecting 250+ Eastern Province farmers to Lusaka's retail oil market under the "Zambia Gold" brand.
Project Overview
Zambia's Eastern Province is one of sub-Saharan Africa's most productive sunflower growing regions, producing over 150,000 tonnes annually. Yet the economic reality for most Zambian farmers had been selling raw sunflower seed to large South African crushing companies at commodity prices, exporting the processing margin along with the seed.
A Lusaka agro-entrepreneur saw the opportunity: build a smallholder-linked oil mill, purchase sunflower directly from farmers within 50 km at above-market prices (enabling farmer loyalty), process to refined sunflower oil in Lusaka, and sell under an own brand to Zambian retail and institutional buyers.
The key technical challenge was incoming seed quality. Rain-fed smallholder sunflower can arrive at 12–22% moisture — far above the optimal 10–12% for pressing. A seed moisture meter at intake and a conditioner/cooker to standardize moisture were therefore essential design requirements. A magnetic separator protects the dehulling machine from tramp metal common in farm-harvested grain.
Sunflower dehulling was the single most impactful technical decision. Shells represent 20–25% of whole seed weight but contain no oil. Removing them before pressing raises effective kernel oil content from ~35% (whole seed) to ~44% (dehulled kernel), directly improving oil yield. It also significantly reduces wax and chlorophyll content in the crude oil, enabling a lighter-colour product without full bleaching.
The refinery step is deliberately limited: hot-water degumming plus NaOH neutralizing produces a commercially acceptable, stable sunflower oil for the Zambian retail market without the capital cost of bleaching and deodorizing vessels. The "Zambia Gold" brand launched into 12 Lusaka retail outlets within 3 months of commissioning.
Process Flow
From variable-moisture smallholder sunflower to refined "Zambia Gold" retail oil, with dehulling as the yield-critical first step.
Equipment List
Full machinery list for the 15 TPD Lusaka sunflower oil line with dehulling and partial refinery.
| # | Equipment | Model | Qty | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vibrating cleaning screen | TQLZ60 | 1 | Removes stones and large debris from incoming seed |
| 2 | Magnetic separator | TCXT25 | 1 | Metal tramp removal before dehulling — protects machine |
| 3 | Sunflower dehulling machine | BTL-500 | 1 | Impact dehulling with air separation; 95%+ dehull rate |
| 4 | Dehulled kernel storage bin | — | 1 | 3T buffer silo between dehulling and conditioning |
| 5 | Conditioner/cooker | LYZF0.5 | 1 | Steam conditioning to 10–12% moisture at 100°C |
| 6 | Bucket elevators | TDTG50/18 | 2 | Pre- and post-dehulling vertical material transfer |
| 7 | Screw oil press | 6YL-160 | 3 | ~5 TPD each on dehulled sunflower kernel |
| 8 | Plate filter press | BASY-320 | 1 | Crude sunflower oil clarification post-pressing |
| 9 | Crude oil storage tanks | — | 2 | 3T each carbon steel |
| 10 | Batch degumming-neutralizing vessel | DN-1500 | 1 | Hot water + NaOH neutralizing, 1.5T batch |
| 11 | Refined oil storage | — | 2 | 5T each SS304 food-grade storage |
| 12 | Incoming moisture meter + test kit | — | 1 | Farmer seed quality acceptance testing at intake |
Results
Key performance metrics from the first year of operation at the Lusaka sunflower oil plant.
"We pay farmers 15% above the commodity exporter price because we can afford to — we capture the processing margin. Our sunflower oil is now in Shoprite Zambia's regional stores. The dehulling machine was the key — without it, the yield and oil quality would not be good enough for clear retail-grade oil."— Founder, Lusaka sunflower oil company, Zambia | August 2023
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View all Africa projects →Frequently Asked Questions
Expert answers on sunflower oil milling, dehulling, and Zambian agri-processing investment.
Why is sunflower dehulling important before oil pressing?
Sunflower shells (hulls) make up 20–25% of whole seed weight but contain no oil — they dilute the oil content seen by the press. Dehulled sunflower kernels have 40–50% oil content vs 30–38% whole seed. Removing hulls before pressing: (1) increases oil yield by 8–15%, (2) reduces wax and chlorophyll content in crude oil (lighter colour, less bleaching needed), (3) produces higher-protein press cake (28–32% vs 22–25% with hulls) worth more as animal feed.
What is the oil yield of sunflower in a screw press?
Screw press sunflower oil yield (after dehulling) is typically 36–44% by weight of kernel input. Whole-seed screw pressing yields 28–36%. Solvent extraction achieves 42–50% but requires larger investment. The Lusaka project achieved 40% on dehulled Zambian sunflower. Key factors: kernel moisture (optimal 10–12%), conditioning temperature (95–105°C), and press screw configuration.
How do I source sunflower seeds consistently for my oil mill?
The most cost-effective model in sub-Saharan Africa is direct farmer sourcing. Key elements: establish a fixed purchase price 10–15% above commodity exporter prices to incentivize supply to your mill, provide farmers with seed quality requirements (moisture under 12%, FFA under 3%), set up collection points within 30–50 km radius, issue seasonal supply contracts. Our clients typically establish a 3-month seed buffer stock to manage seasonal harvest peaks.
Does sunflower oil need a full refinery to be food-grade?
For most African retail markets, partially refined sunflower oil (degummed + neutralized, without full bleaching or deodorizing) is commercially acceptable. Full refinery (bleaching + deodorizing) produces a completely odour-neutral, light-yellow oil preferred for premium retail and food manufacturing. The Lusaka project uses degumming + neutralizing only, producing a good-quality oil at lower capital cost. If targeting export markets or food manufacturing clients, a full refinery is recommended.
What is the protein content of sunflower press cake?
Sunflower dehulled kernel press cake contains 28–36% protein and 6–10% residual oil. It is a valuable animal feed ingredient for poultry, pig, and cattle nutrition. Sunflower cake from dehulled pressing (vs. whole-seed) has lower fibre content and higher protein digestibility. In Zambia, livestock farmers pay premium prices for sunflower cake due to its high amino acid profile. Cake sales contribute 15–20% of total mill revenue.
Launch Your Sunflower Oil Business
5 TPD to 100 TPD sunflower oil plants with dehulling. Designed for Southern and East Africa seed quality and market conditions. Free layout design included.