Ovanin family expands award-winning pumpkin seed oil production

The Ovanin family has successfully transitioned from a small-scale pumpkin seed cultivation project to a significant agricultural operation in Novo Farkašiće, near Petrinja. What began with only half a hectare of pumpkin seeds has expanded to five hectares, with the family now producing approximately 400 liters of pumpkin seed oil annually.

Kristijan Ovanin, a judicial police officer in Glina, manages the family farm alongside his parents, Marica and Štefo. The business focuses on producing extra virgin pumpkin seed oil, which is obtained through the roasting and mechanical pressing of seeds. Unlike some competitors, the Ovanins do not mix their oil with sunflower oil, maintaining a 100 percent pure product.

The quality of their oil has been recognized at the Alpe Adria international pumpkin oil exhibition in Varaždin, where they have earned two gold and two silver medals over the last four years. Due to high demand, the family is looking to expand their production further and has established partnerships to assist with cultivation.