A cinematic aerial view of a large Ukrainian Black Sea port terminal in Odessa under overcast skies, featuring massive concrete grain silos filled to capacity with golden sunflower seeds visibly spilling from open hatches

Ukrainian Sunflower Seed Prices Plunge to 4-Month Low

  • Sunflower seed prices in Ukraine fell by over UAH 1,000/ton in a week to UAH 26,000-27,600/ton CPT, hitting a four-month low for the 2025/26 season.
  • Missile and drone attacks on Odessa ports have reduced or suspended unloading operations, causing storage bottlenecks and factory shutdowns.
  • Trade activity has slowed sharply as full storage tanks, security risks, and holiday season dynamics curb both processing and supply.
  • Market pressure appears driven by logistical disruption and storage constraints rather than fundamental oversupply, increasing the risk of volatility.

Ukrainian Sunflower Seed Market Update

According to APK-Inform monitoring, the Ukrainian domestic sunflower seed market saw a steep correction over the past week. Prices dropped to UAH 26,000-27,600 per ton CPT, with only isolated deals reported at UAH 28,000-28,300 per ton CPT. Indicative bids opened even lower at UAH 25,000-25,400 per ton CPT, the weakest levels since the start of the 2025/26 marketing season.

The pace of oilseed trade has slowed markedly as security risks and infrastructure constraints mount. Ongoing missile and drone attacks on Odessa ports have forced operators to reduce or suspend unloading operations, heightening storage risks at port facilities. With storage tanks at or near capacity, several processing factories have halted operations, amplifying the bottleneck across the supply chain.

The sharp price decline and elevated uncertainty have discouraged farmer selling, tightening available supply just as the market enters the traditional holiday season lull. This combination of weaker demand from processors, disrupted logistics, and cautious sellers points to subdued trading activity in the near term.

Price Levels and Market Structure

Commodity / Metric Price / Level Notes
Sunflower seed (CPT, typical range) UAH 26,000–27,600/ton Main trading range after weekly decline
Sunflower seed (CPT, isolated deals) UAH 28,000–28,300/ton Higher-priced, less frequent transactions
Indicative bid prices (CPT) UAH 25,000–25,400/ton Lowest levels since start of 2025/26 season
Weekly price change > UAH 1,000/ton drop Sharp correction in a single week

Market Analysis and Outlook

Bearish conditions dominate. The combination of infrastructure disruption at Odessa ports, storage constraints, and a UAH 1,000+/ton weekly price decline underscores significant pressure on the Ukrainian sunflower seed market. Factory shutdowns due to full storage tanks are reinforcing a supply chain bottleneck that may extend beyond the holiday period.

The current four-month low in prices appears to reflect seller capitulation under logistical and security stress rather than a structural oversupply of sunflower seed. As a result, traders and processors should closely monitor port operability, storage availability, and any escalation in attacks. Prolonged disruptions could push prices lower in the near term or set the stage for heightened volatility once normal operations and demand from processors resume.

Source: Market Data


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