Place of rapeseed in the edible oil market

Abstract

The potential for rapeseed oil in the world edible oil market is evident in the statistics of net exports of the principal vegetable oilseeds from primary producing countries. The last complete year for which figures are available is 1970, and in that year soybeans accounted for some 52% and rapeseed only 7.5% in oil equivalent. Since soybeans have only ca. 50% of the oil content of rapeseed, they are bought mainly for their yield of high protein meal. Conversely, rapeseed is bought for its oil content and produces a meal that is not only lower in protein but up to this time has been less acceptable as an ingredient in animal feed formulations. Fortunately for rapeseed, these problems are being tackled diligently and should be overcome in the near future. When this point has been reached, rapeseed will be a much stronger competitor in world markets for protein meal. The trend in the use of rapeseed oil in the Canadian domestic market is an indicator of the potential in world markets. It is displacing other edible oils that have dominated the Canadian market in the past. In the 1971 calendar year, 35.6% or 160.5 million pounds, i.e., 73,000 metric tons, of vegetable oil used in the manufacture of margarine, shortening and salad oils was rapeseed oil. Rapeseed oil is competing keenly with soybean oil in the Canadian market and in the future should be able to greatly enlarge its share of world trade.