Romanian farmers to build first cooperative-led oil factory

A group of 21 farmers from the Mureș, Cluj, Alba, and Sibiu counties in Romania are constructing the country’s first farmer-led edible oil factory. Organized under the “Cooperativa Podișul Transilvaniei,” the initiative utilizes a Western-style cooperative model to manage over 33,000 hectares of sunflower cultivation.

The facility, located in Mihai Viteazu near Turda, is expected to begin production by April 2028. The total project cost is estimated between 45 and 46 million euros, funded by 10 million euros from the European Union, approximately 9 million euros from the farmers, and 17 million euros from a Romanian bank. A subsequent refining stage is expected to cost an additional 10 million euros.

The factory aims for a production capacity of 600 tons of sunflower processing every 24 hours. To support energy needs, the project includes the installation of nearly 3 MW of solar panels funded by the EU, alongside the use of caloric energy from plant residues such as sunflower, soy, rapeseed, or flax shells to power the technological circuit.