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Globally, soybean production is increasing rapidly (+47% over the past six years), driven mainly by the demand for soy meal from the animal feed industry. As soy meal is very rich of proteins and has a low percentage of raw cellulose, it is especially suited for compound feed for single stomached animals such as pigs and poultry.
Canola/rapeseed now sit alongside palm oil and soybean oil as one of the most produced vegetable oils in the world. The crop trails only soybean meal in popularity for feed use. This success has been achieved in just 40 years. Prior to World War II, rapeseed oil was primarily used as a high-temperature lubricant on steam ships. Once diesel engines replaced steam, rapeseed oil industrial lubricant usage plummeted.
Sunflowers were probably first introduced to Europe through Spain. The crop, spread through Europe as a curiosity until it reached Russia, where it was readily adapted. In Russia, selection for seeds that were high in oil began in 1860. This selection for high producer varieties was largely responsible for increasing oil content from 28% to almost 50%.
In South America, ground nut mainly harvested in Northern Argentina and South Bolivia and Brazil in which majority of the species are found. Bolivia has the second largest number of species followed by Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay.
The sunflower was a major export crop for Argentina till 2002 and the country was responsible for about 18% of production to the world. Argentina lost the momentum and slipped to 7% as government policies and market condition pushed farmers towards the soybean crop because of its competitiveness.
Argentina has only recently entered the biofuels arena, but has done so at a relatively rapid pace. Argentina is now the fourth largest biodiesel producer in the world with production of over 1.75 billion liters. Argentina uses B7 (7% biodiesel by volume) in its national blend, which is mandated by the government.