Canola
Field Crops in South Africa

The Western Canadian Oilseed Crushers Association in 1979 registered the name “Canola” for a new type of oilseed selectively bred out of rapeseed. Canola has a much lower erucic acid and glucosinolates content than rapeseed, rendering it suitable for use in food. The name is derived from a combination of the words, “Canadian”, “oil” and “low acidic”.
©Shem Compion
Canola is an oilseed bred out of rapeseed.

Production in South Africa

Although canola is a summer crop in temperate and cool parts of the world, it is primarily produced as a winter crop in South Africa. The Western Cape, in effect, accounts for almost two-thirds of Africa’s total canola seed production. Some trials have indicated that it can be grown under irrigation in the summer rainfall area, but at the moment there is no urgent need for summer rainfall producers to include canola in their crop cultivation programmes.

Canola Cultivation

The Agricultural Research Centre in South Africa advises farmers to consider plant diseases, growing length, yield potential and problem we...more

Canola Production

In South Africa canola can be planted in a wide range of soil types, but thrives in clay-loam soils that are well drained and not susceptibl...more