ONE OF Britain‘s largest oilseed crushing plants will suspend normal oilseed rape crushing operations to process over 3,000 tonnes of a new ‘healthy‘ OSR variety.

Traceability and crop purity are key to meeting market requirements for Nex 160 spring oilseed rape, hence the special crushing arrangements, said a United Oilseeds representative.

“Over a three day period our lorries will deliver some 3,500 tonnes drawn from our members farms across the UK,” said the firm‘s Managing Director Chris Baldwin.

“Within a week, the rapeseed will have been crushed, refined and on its way to a range of customers in Europe.”

Demand is growing for the variety, which has a lower linolenic content and higher oleic content than conventional double low OSR, added Mr Baldwin.

This gives food processors a healthier oil option, one free of transfatty acids, said Dow AgroScience‘s Tim Hancock.

Further details on this can be found in this Friday‘s edition of Farmers Weekly (October 1).