Canola farming opens African markets

South Africa’s canola boom creates opportunities across Africa’s value chain.

Canola is a crop with a sophisticated value chain. It is a low-erucic-acid form of rapeseed, bred primarily for food and feed markets. Its small black seeds contain about 45% oil. Crushing produces two main products: edible canola oil and protein-rich canola meal. The oil is used for cooking, frying, baking, salad dressings, mayonnaise and margarine, while the meal is an important protein ingredient for poultry, dairy, pigs, livestock and aquaculture. Canola oil can also be used as a feedstock for biodiesel.

Discussions at Nampo Cape

The issue was highlighted at the “Canola: A Golden Future” panel discussion at NAMPO Cape on 10 September, where industry representatives examined the crop’s rapid expansion and the investment opportunities emerging across the value chain. The discussion focused on production growth, genetics and technology, processing capacity, market development and the need to ensure that the industry grows sustainably rather than simply planting more hectares.

South African plantings increase

South African plantings have increased from 34,000 ha in 2010 to 165,750 ha in 2024, 174,515 ha in 2025 and approximately 192,300 ha in 2026. Almost 188,000 ha is in the Western Cape. Canola has moved from being primarily a rotation crop to an important commercial crop. Overberg Agri’s proposed crushing facility in the Swartland, potentially operating from 2027, will create significant investment opportunities. More local processing could retain value domestically while creating additional demand for oil and meal. If production outpaces local processing and consumption, exports will become increasingly important.

Canola’s climate requirements

The crop’s climate requirements are critical to its African potential. Canola is essentially a cool-season crop. South African production is mainly winter grown, requiring about 300 mm of rainfall between April and October for a 2 t/ha crop. Typical seasonal water use is approximately 450–550 mm, although this varies with climate and irrigation. Temperatures above roughly 27–30°C during flowering can negatively affect pollination and seed formation.

Canola performs best on deep, fertile, well-drained soils, particularly loams and clay-loams. Waterlogging is a major risk. A soil pH of approximately 6.0–7.0 is generally preferred, while strongly acidic soils can restrict yields.

Canola in other African countries

Elsewhere in Africa, canola and rapeseed are already grown, including in Kenya and Ethiopia, with production also recorded in North Africa. Its greatest untapped potential may lie in Africa’s cooler, high-altitude agricultural zones. Parts of Kenya, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Madagascar could offer suitable conditions where temperature, seasonal rainfall and soils align.

For investors, the opportunity extends across seed genetics, mechanisation, crushing, edible oil, animal feed, exports and potentially biodiesel, particularly in regions where canola can become a viable addition to existing agricultural systems.

Image: Canola fields. Image credit: Irina Inser from Unsplash.

Canola farming opens African markets