Specialty canola oil currently makes up approximately 10 percent of canola crop acres.
While years ago the choice to go with a specialty oil could mean a yield gap, today, options in the hybrid seed space are plentiful and that yield gap has closed. Specialty canola genetics are up there in performance with regular commodity canola, says Allana Lewchuk, a technical service specialist with BASF, in this episode of RealAgriculture’s Canola School with Shaun Haney.
With better specialty hybrids on the market, a strong market demand, premium pricing, and the option to lock into a contract, switching to a specialty canola is an appealing option for growers.
The oil itself, while being similar to standard canola oil, offers a versatile heart healthy fat that has a high percentage of oleic acid and low polyunsaturated fats with a higher smoke point and a longer shelf life. Specialty canola oil is used for cooking, frying, food manufacturing and in snack foods.
When it comes to the agronomics of growing specialty canola, Lewchuk says that these hybrids are similar to producing commodity canola, with a couple of differences. One such difference is the need to be prepared with storage space, because specialty oil hybrids are identity preserved and need to be binned separately. Controlling volunteer canola is a necessity for this reason as well.
When it comes down to it, having hybrid variety options such as Roundup Ready, Liberty Link and Clearfield technologies available, having access to a strong market and premium pricing makes growing specialty canola an intriguing option for canola growers.
Watch the full video below.
For more episodes of Canola School, click here.
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