Local "Factory" Tour

On our way back, we also had the opportunity to "tour" a sunflower oil factory in Babati. They invited us inside where we observed the unshelled sunflower seeds being loaded into a large hopper.

After going through the press, the oil from the crushed seeds fill a large bucket. 

The by-product of the crushed shells (the black chips seen littering the floor) can be sold as animal feed. Nothing is ever wasted!

The worker who manages the filter then transfers that bucket up to the top drums, where the oil proceeds through multiple filters. The resulting clear, golden oil is then transferred into a large holding tank, where it is ready to be sold by the liter.

Bayo was happy to purchase a 5 liter bottle of fresh oil to take back to his household. He was grateful to be able to buy "factory-direct" at wholesale prices, knowing that the sunflower oil is indeed pure and not mixed with other oils and chemicals. 

Before leaving, I noticed again the multiple large tarps stretched on the ground in front of the factory. With every square inch covered with freshly harvested sunflower seeds, the obvious bumpercrop from the sunflower harvest this year is now drying in the sun, preparing to be made into oil that will end up in markets throughout East Africa.