Soybean-A wonder crop

Soybeans, which are also known as soya beans, are a species of legume that have acclaimed itself to be one of the most extensively consumed foods in the world. They are extremely beneficial for human health, and are easy to cultivate as well. Soybeans have emerged to be so wildly important and have gained intense popularity in recent past because of its constant rise in demand of soy foods, including soy milk and textured vegetable protein. The high protein content makes it a rich protein source for vegetarians, and the wide variety of soy products have created a revolution with a vast new market.

One of the primary reason for it being widely cultivated is because it contains more protein per acre of land than any other crop. They grow up to 2 meters in height and is a green, low-lying plant. Soybean is the only vegetable food that contains all eight essential amino acids. The soy protein is so universally useful that this small, unassuming bean has become globally significant. In addition to it, soybeans further are packed with some other essential nutrients which in turn makes them extremely popular for health concerned people, along with vegan and vegetarians across the globe.

Soybeans are processed into various soy products namely soy flour, soy milk, cottage cheese like tofu, fermented products like tempeh and miso. Most of the plant based proteins are considered as incomplete because of the lack of one or the other essential amino acids. The level of amino acids in soybean is higher than any other bean.

Soya offers excellent business opportunities in Africa. Soya beans provide the best solution not only for income generation, but as well for reducing malnutrition, reducing hunger and poverty in Africa. It is often called the miracle crop. More and more number of people are turning towards soy beans because it is cheap and equivalent to animal protein. Africa is both a net importer of soybean and processed soy products, and also has the capability to produce substantial volumes of soybean. Although major soybean producing and processing countries are able to achieve low unit costs of production, emerging information on the sector suggests that local production is not necessarily at a significant price disadvantage versus imports. As a result, soybean represents a very tangible opportunity to capture an already present import substitution opportunity, as well as address generally highly price elastic markets in Sub-Saharan Africa for meat or protein in general.

Soya offers excellent business opportunities in Africa. Soya beans provide the best solution not only for income generation, but as well for reducing malnutrition, reducing hunger and poverty in Africa.

The story of Mr Nehemiah Odhiambo, a farmer in Migori County is really an inspirational one. He was among the first farmers in the county to adopt this new crop. With soya, the current harvest makes the best seed crop and has 99 per cent chances of germinating well, he explains. At first, he was seared to give up the traditional sugarcane crop farming and adopting a new crop. It wasn’t easy for him to take this decision, but he took the risk and he doesn’t regret it. With soybean crop, he has been earning good income now. According to the facts, being a new crop among Kenyan farmers, Kenya produces about 300,000 tonnes of soybeans yearly. Half of the production comes from Migori County, which produces 156,000 tonnes.

In the recent years, South Africa has made remarkable investments in the soybean crushing capacity. These investments resulted in the increase of crushing capacity of approximately 2.2 million

Soybean has gained popularity amongst the African consumer because of the edge which it provides over the other protein sources. Investors and entrepreneurs round the globe are developing keen interest in investing in soybean cultivation in Africa. The tremendous scope it provides doesn’t only restrict the soybean production, but also to its counterparts such as tofu, soy milk, soy flour and miso. With an investment as low as USD 10,000 one could yield high monetary benefits by establishing a soy processing plant of your own. There are ample number of companies which are manufacturing soy processing machines. One could get soy milk, soy flour, tofu, miso and tempeh machines.

In the recent years, South Africa has made remarkable investments in the soybean crushing capacity. These investments resulted in the increase of crushing capacity of approximately 2.2 million tons plus. Significant growth in oilcake and oil demand have been driven, to a large extent, by increasing demand for animal feed, which in turn has been stimulated by increase in the demand for high protein food, more specifically within the growing middle class. Soybean is produced throughout the country, but significant production takes place in the Free State and Mpumalanga provinces. Setting up the soy processing plants in such African countries would certainly provide lucrative returns. The constant increase in the demand of soy products has been recorded in the African continent.

More and more number of investors are buying agricultural land to cultivate this miraculous crop. People have also established soy processing plants to cater to the increasing demand and consumption of soy products. This offers an opportunity which won’t make you regret.