When Do Sunflower (Oilseed) Plants Mature? A Detailed Guide to Maturity Time

Oilseed sunflower, abbreviated as oil sunflower, is one of the four major oil crops in China. The oil extracted from oil sunflower seeds can be pressed into a low-cholesterol, premium edible sunflower oil, hailed as the “healthy nutritional oil” of the 21st century. So when do oil sunflowers mature?

1. When Do Oil Sunflowers Mature

Oil sunflowers usually mature in August-September. Due to regional differences, an exact maturity time cannot be given. At harvest time, when the back of the oil sunflower head turns yellow, the stalk turns yellow, and the middle and upper leaves lose their green and turn yellow, the plant has reached physiological maturity.

2. Profit from Growing Oil Sunflowers

(1) Costs

The cost per mu is about 500 yuan.

① Seeds 400-500 grams, valued at 80-100 yuan.

② Sowing cost 20 yuan.

③ Fertilizer cost 100 yuan.

④ Irrigation cost about 70 yuan (2 waterings).

⑤ Labor 3 person-days, calculated at 70 yuan per person-day, valued at 210 yuan.

(2) Income

The yield per mu of summer-sown oil sunflowers is generally about 200 kg. Calculated at a purchase price of 6 yuan/kg, the income per mu is 1200 yuan. The net profit per mu is: 1200 yuan - 500 yuan = 700 yuan.

(3) Benefits of Processing Oil Sunflowers

For example, a small Yijiayi brand oil press that processes 75 kg of raw material per hour costs 13800 yuan; a medium-sized automated machine that processes 200 kg of raw material per hour costs 29300 yuan and requires 20 sq m of space. The processing fee is 0.6 yuan per kg of raw material, and the processing cost is 0.2 yuan per kg. Calculating 10 hours of production per day, the daily net income of the small equipment is 300 yuan, and that of the medium-sized equipment is 800 yuan.

Oil sunflower seeds can be pressed for oil, and the pressing residue (also called “oil sunflower cake”) can be used as protein feed, so its utilization value is quite high.