- Import Surge: Turkey’s sunflower seed imports jumped 684% to 384,000 tonnes in Sep–Nov 2025 as drought-driven crop failures slashed domestic supply.
- Black Sea Dominance: Romania supplied 266,000 tonnes of seeds and Russia provided 90% of sunflower oil imports, tightening Black Sea market influence.
- Ongoing Supply Risk: A third consecutive crop failure and low carryover stocks signal continued high import demand and firm basis levels into Q1 2026.
Turkey Sunflower Oil & Seed Market Update
Turkey is facing an acute sunflower supply crisis as a third consecutive drought-hit crop has forced the country to rely heavily on imports of both sunflower seeds and sunflower oil. According to Oil World, exceptionally high inflows in September–November 2025 reflect severe domestic shortfalls and minimal opening stocks at the start of the season.
Sunflower seed imports surged to 384,000 tonnes in Sep–Nov 2025, compared with just 49,000 tonnes in the same period of 2024. Romania has emerged as the dominant supplier, shipping 266,000 tonnes versus only 11,000 tonnes a year earlier, while Moldova contributed 73,000 tonnes compared with 27,000 tonnes previously. Strong import momentum extended through December 2025 and early January 2026, positioning Turkey to boost domestic crushing activity and rebuild depleted sunflower oil inventories.
Sunflower oil imports also increased, reaching 210,000 tonnes in Sep–Nov 2025 versus 182,000 tonnes a year ago. Russia accounted for 190,000 tonnes of this volume, up sharply from 124,000 tonnes in 2024 and representing about 90% of Turkey’s total sunflower oil imports. The inflow consisted mainly of unrefined oil destined for local refining and distribution.
Import Volumes: Year-on-Year Comparison
| Period / Product | 2024 Imports (tonnes) | 2025 Imports (tonnes) | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunflower Seeds (Total) | 49,000 | 384,000 | +684% |
| Sunflower Seeds from Romania | 11,000 | 266,000 | +2,318% |
| Sunflower Seeds from Moldova | 27,000 | 73,000 | +170% |
| Sunflower Oil (Total) | 182,000 | 210,000 | +15% |
| Sunflower Oil from Russia | 124,000 | 190,000 | +53% |
Market Implications & Black Sea Outlook
Turkey’s deepening import dependency is structurally bullish for Black Sea suppliers. Romania’s 24-fold increase in sunflower seed exports to Turkey and Russia’s near-monopoly on sunflower oil flows underscore the region’s strategic role in covering Turkey’s deficit. With drought risk still elevated and domestic production under pressure, elevated import demand is likely to persist into the next marketing season, supporting firm basis levels for both Black Sea sunflower seeds and sunflower oil through at least Q1 2026.
Source: Market Data
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