The sale of rapeseed oil has increased sharply in recent weeks. That’s because the supply of sunflower oil from Ukraine has stopped, forcing consumers to look for alternatives. Rapeseed farmer Geert Lindenhols from Zuidwolde has become much busier in our province.
Ukraine is the world’s leading exporter of sunflower oil, but its exports are largely flat. In the Netherlands, too, it is becoming more difficult to find a bottle of sunflower oil in supermarkets. Due to the lack of sunflower oil, the food industry has resorted to other oils, such as canola oil.
Lindenhols, who is also jokingly called ‘the rapeseed king of Drenthe’, has been pressing rapeseed for thirteen years to make rapeseed oil. He is the only farmer in our province who does this, although there are other Drenthe farmers who grow rapeseed. Lindenhols has seen a sharp increase in demand for its rapeseed oil.
“That is of course beautiful, although the reason is not so beautiful”, the agricultural entrepreneur refers to the war in Ukraine. “People are now looking for a replacement for sunflower oil, they get nervous when the shelves get empty. Then they think: we need something else and start looking for where they can get oil in the area. And that’s with us.”
Sunflower oil is used in chips, cookies and sauces, among other things. Replacement oils are now being used in many such products due to the scarcity. According to Lindenhols, canola oil has an important advantage over other oils. “It is healthier than sunflower or olive oil. That is because they are hot pressed and then the smell and taste are gone, although they may be added later.”
“We do it in a different way, we cold press. The smell, color and taste and the vitamins remain in the product this way. That is healthier, because good unsaturated fatty acids, such as omega 3 and 6, are preserved”, knows Lindenhols. “And you need that as a human being. People often stop at the fishmonger for their portion of omega 3, but they are also in my oil.”