Borehole driller strikes ‘liquid gold’

Farmer and borehole driller Winni Metzger has launched a sunflower oil production initiative in the Kavango West region to boost local food security and reduce Namibia’s reliance on imported goods.

Metzger also mills maize, farms with pigs, and produces chairs, beds and tables.

He owns the crop field he acquired from local villagers at Kanyikama where he recently planted sunflowers.

Metzger harvested the first seeds in May last year, which are currently being pressed to produce cooking oil.

“I realised there is a good market for locally produced oil which are better for human consumption than those imported,” he says.

Metzger is also the Musese green scheme’s private operator.

He says the technology for producing cooking oil is simple, but one needs to have enough sunflower seeds for the business to grow and thrive.

Metzger sells bottles of cooking oil at his various Winni’s Maize shops around the country.

At the same outlets, he also sells maize meal, milled at the Musese green scheme and the Kanyikama maize milling plant.
Three workers run the cooking oil production in shifts.

Production at Kanyikama started on 17 January this year.

Metzger says the operation aims to use everything from the process, with the remaining pressed seed material used as animal feed.

Executive director of international relations and trade Ndiitah Robiati says the ministry is supporting Metzger’s initiative as it would contribute to reducing cooking oil imports.

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