Rapeseed

Rapeseed is well-known plant used for several purposes: as a raw-stuff for oil, biological diesel and honey.

 
Rapeseed oil was used in the 19th century for lubrication purposes at engineering factories. Despite it is high in protein, rapeseed was not used as food for animals until the 20th century, because it has bitter taste and requires pretreatment before use.

 
There is about 36 million tons of rapeseed produced per year in the world. Rapeseed grown in Asian countries (China, India, Pakistan) has milder taste and can be used in human food. Ukrainian rapeseed is more bitter and is used mainly as the raw material for bio diesel and animal food.

 
Rapeseed also produces a lot of nectar, which is used by honeybees for their light-colored peppery honey. This honey is usually blended with some other milder honeys.

 
As biolubricant rapeseed helps to produce a technical oil, its qualities are comparable to mineral oil products.

 
However, biodiesel produced from rapeseed is much more expensive than usual diesel, that is why it is not produced without governmental grants in some countries.

 
Ukrainian governmental program “Strategy – 2020” implies increase of rapeseed production and export. In particular that means increase of bio-energetic purpose rapeseed.