Price Analysis of Oil Press Machines for Small and Medium-Sized Oil Mills

In the final section, we examined the large price variation of oil presses, between simple single machines and complete lines of production. However, figures do not give the answer as to why two models with a similar output may have very different price tags. In order to make any sense of the market we must have a way of revealing the actual forces that either push the prices upward or hold them down.
Not many years ago, I interviewed a northern Nigerian farmer who was confused as to why there was a difference between two presses that purported to have the same capacity. One was twice as expensive as the other but both of them said they were dealing in peanuts and soybeans. This confusion is common. The fact is that the price of oil press depends on a complex of design, quality of the construction, the level of automation and support of the brand. After knowing these drivers, it is much easier to make a choice.

Type of Oil Press.

The kind of oil press is also one of the key factors that affect price. Screw oil presses can be found in the small and medium sized oil mill since they work well with hot pressing, continuous work, and harder crops such as palm kernel, rapeseed or castor seed. They are more efficient and durable, and are generally the mainstream option when the initial price is lower.

Hydraulic oil presses on the other hand are more prevalent when cold pressing and high quality edible oils. They commonly are chosen as crops, including sesame, olive, avocado or coconut, where the quality of oil and nutritional retention are of greater significance than the speed at which it is pressed. They are slower, but provide the market with better oil of a better quality and price. There are even models that employ the use of a bar row chamber to enhance the pressure and yield.

Press Grade and Structural Complexity.

The number of pressing stages within the Screw Oil Press machine is called grades. AA two-stage press is simple to operate, inexpensive, and can be used to process peanuts. A three-stage press can be used to process crops such as sunflower seeds to balance price and efficiency. The four-stage press can process highly resistant oilseeds such as sesame. They have longer chambers, more elaborate structure and are, of course, more expensive. This is one of the most crucial cost factors of oil press machines with structural sophistication.
Another structural factor is whether the press uses a bar-row or round-row design. Bar-row presses have smaller gaps between the pressing sections, resulting in less internal pressure loss and a slightly higher degree of crude oil refinement. They also allow for easy reversal in the event of daily blockages. Round-row presses, on the other hand, offer a simpler structure, are more stable when pressing difficult, hard-shelled seeds, and are easily reassembled for long-term maintenance.

Materials and Build Quality.

Durability and cost depend on the raw materials used in construction. Cast iron or mild steel made machines are the least expensive yet wear and rust easily. High-purity carbon steel enhances strength. Stainless steel or alloy steels of higher grade, however, are resistant to corrosion and increase life span, although they increase production expenses and, consequently, the ultimate market price. GQ-Agri’s engineering team, through continuous testing, has developed an oil press combining stainless steel and high-purity carbon steel to ensure durability, resisting weather corrosion while maintaining food safety.

Capacity and Model Size.

The simple cost driver is production capacity. A low power machine of 500KG-1 tons a day is cheap enough to be used on village cooperatives or family workshops. Mid-sized that have capacity of 5-10 tons per day, and have heavier frames and more powerful motors of course lie in a higher price bracket. In the case of mill owners intending to expand in the future, investing in a mid-range model is often rational, despite the fact that the size of raw material supply is less at the beginning. Sometimes we will recommend choosing multiple small oil presses according to the customer’s situation to achieve production flexibility and budget planning.

Automation and Added Functions.

There are frequently modern presses with digital control panels, automatic heating or built-in oil filters. These functions minimize the human effort, stabilize the quality of oil and simplify the task of the workers who do not have much technical training. However, each additional feature costs more. To the owners of most oil mills, investing more initially in automation is cost-effective in the long term in terms of saving on labor and maintenance.

Brand Reputation and After-Sales Service.

Lastly, it is a matter of who the machine is named. Domestically manufactured presses that have very little branding can appear appealing in terms of pricing, yet they might have inaccessible spare parts and after sales services. Companies that are export-oriented such as GQ Agri differentiate themselves a notch higher: a little more investment at the beginning but supported by spares, remote control, and durability. In the case of the operators in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America, such a peace of mind usually prevails over the purchase price difference.

I have heard each side of the argument: a workshop in Tanzania purchased the cheapest press possible, and was reduced to weeks of no operation waiting to order new parts, whereas a cooperative in Kenya spent more on a brand with good reputation and maintained production even during harvest time. These examples demonstrate that price is an expression of design, material, capacity and service and not merely numbers on a list. These factors are based on understanding. The next question is how to make them work with your own budget and production targets- we will look at how to get an oil press at a reasonable price, without falling into the traps of common purchases.