Soybean processing in Europe

The demand for soybean processing is growing every year.

Since 2014, there has been a “soy boom” in Ukraine, and they began to grow this plant even on unsuitable soils, without losing productivity. Soybeans are actively purchased by the EU countries, and therefore for our farmers this crop remains one of the priorities for growing.

What you need to know about soybean processing

High-quality compound feed is most often obtained from this crop, and, by the way, soybeans are considered one of the most expensive components in such nutrition. In addition, this plant is used to obtain first cold-pressed soybean oil, which can be used in cooking. The sale of meal and cake, which remains after soybean processing, remains profitable.

In general, the production of this crop will bring enough profit even if you do not plan to organize large industrial supplies. And if you are thinking about entering international markets, then it would be useful to know how to process this culture most profitably.

Most often, farmers decide first of all to get raw unrefined oil from soybeans, and sell the remaining parts of the plant for agriculture. To obtain high-quality oil, it is necessary to use professional soybean presses, after which the residual oil content should not exceed 6.5%.

To obtain oil, grain goes through the following processing stages:

• Single hot press. Allows to get up to 85% of oil at the outlet. The product is intensely colored and has a pleasant smell.
• Hot and re-press. Output oil – up to 92%. Re-spin expellers must be used for this process to work properly.
• Hot press and chemical extraction. Output oil – up to 99%. The meal after this process should contain no more than 1% of the solvent.
• Cleaning and refining. They allow the oil to last longer and not change the taste.

The meal obtained after processing can be used for farm needs.

In which EU countries are soybeans processed?

According to statistics, the largest soybean producing countries are the USA, Brazil, Argentina, China and India. At the same time, the EU countries are not even among the top ten producers of this product – Europe buys soybeans from other countries and processes it independently. Most often, processing is carried out in Germany, France and Spain, however, soybean supplies are regularly carried out to all European countries, where farmers are already directly involved in processing the plant.

Of course, the requirements for the product are universal and can be easily met in the conditions of Ukraine. It is not for nothing that our country occupies a leading position in the sale of this crop in the EU. For the product, the necessary documents for import and export, as well as documents on the content of certain substances in soy, must be drawn up. You can find out more about what peculiarities of purchasing soybeans exist in EU countries on the websites of foreign agricultural departments.

Profitability

For Ukrainian farmers, soybeans have actually become one of the main crops for export. Prices for soybean meal are constantly growing, while the cost of soybean grain remains at about the same level. It should be noted that soybean processing ranks second in Ukraine in terms of profitability, so more and more farmers are starting to grow this crop. Up to a ton of protein can be obtained from one hectare, which can be used for both humans and animals. That is why the cultivation of soybeans is quite cost-effective and beneficial for the farmer, because this crop also has a good effect on the soil, without making it heavier and leaving the land suitable for growing other crops.