How Much Oil Do You Get From an Acre of Sunflowers?

Contact Markets Before Planting

• Make a deal with a crushing plant or other buyer of sunflowers prior to planting your crop. Plant the varieties that your particular market wishes to buy. If possible, lock in a price per bushel or per ton before planting, with a guarantee that your crop will be purchased when it is ready.

Plant Oil-rich Sunflowers

• Plant oil-rich varieties of sunflowers on gentle slopes facing south or on flat land that receives plenty of direct sunlight. Water seeds and young plants well until they have reached a minimum of 3 feet tall. Cut back on watering, keeping soil just slightly moist until the seed heads are fully developed. Sunflowers can stand slight drought conditions.

Harvesting

• Check the backside of the sunflower's head. If it has turned brown, then it is time to harvest. Special sunflower harvesting heads should be attached to the harvesting machines to prevent excessive hulling of seeds during harvest and excess loss of seed due to seeds falling out of the heads before being pulled onto the machine.

Crushing and Oil Production

• High oil-yielding sunflower seeds contain anywhere from 40 to 50 percent oil. Depending on growing conditions and planting density, an acre of high-yield sunflowers can produce anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 lbs. of oil per acre, with an average yield of approximately 1,500 lbs. per acre.