Sunflower Industry Doing Well

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Sunflower Industry: Acres Up & New Markets


After a decline, sunflower acreage in Colorado is up 20%, which shows that producers are realizing that sunflowers are viable and profitable. The increase includes both confection and oil varieties. Karl Esping is President of the National Sunflower Association and says that this dry weather crop does well in Colorado and Kansas. The confection varieties or edible sunflower are  more popular in Southern Colorado due to the dry weather. As for prices, they have declined somewhat from last year, according to Esping.

One unique product that the sunflower industry brings to the market is their premier oil, call High Oleic oil. This oil contains Omega 3 fats, or the good, healthy fats, which are good for health and can assist in preventing heart disease. A Colorado based company in Lamar, called Colorado Mills, now has its  High Oleic sunflower oil being sold in over twenty Whole Foods Stores. Esping says that this could lead to more national sales of High Oleic Sunflower Oil being sold in large retail stores.

According to the NSA website,  High Oleic is a healthy fat that the body needs and aids in things such as prevention of heart disease. Additionally, the website sites that the sunflower has a very neutral taste and provides excellent stability without hydrogenation. High oleic sunflower oil offers a trans free oil solution for customers. The oil has many uses including bakery applications, spray coating oils for cereal, crackers and dried fruit; it is used in non-dairy creamers, many types of frying applications.

Esping also mentioned that NuSun is another product that was released about ten years ago and still is being used for potato chip production, but is being phased out with the advent of High Oleic Sunflower oil hitting the market.

By: Lorrie Boyer, KSIR Farm News Director

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