- Bullish: Sunflower seed prices initially strengthened, with some bids exceeding UAH 34,000/ton CPT amid strong crusher demand and a wider market price range.
- Bearish: A USD 15–20/ton drop in sunflower oil export prices pressured crushers to cut seed bids by UAH 100–200/ton, sharply squeezing processing margins.
Ukrainian Sunflower Seed Market Update
Ukrainian sunflower seed prices advanced through most of last week before pulling back at the end of the reporting period. On May 7, processing plants reduced purchase prices by UAH 100–200 per ton in response to weakening sunflower oil export markets.
For raw materials with 48–50% oil content, purchase prices mostly ranged from UAH 32,000 to UAH 33,500 per ton CPT, while some bids reached UAH 34,000+ per ton CPT, highlighting a significantly wider price spread across the market.
Price and Margin Dynamics
| Item | Price / Change | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sunflower seeds (48–50% oil) – main range | UAH 32,000–33,500/ton CPT | Typical processor purchase prices |
| Sunflower seeds – high-end bids | UAH 34,000+/ton CPT | Reflects wider market price dispersion |
| Seed bid adjustment (May 7) | −UAH 100–200/ton | Reaction to weaker sunflower oil prices |
| Sunflower oil export prices | −USD 15–20/ton | Driven by softer global oil markets and easing geopolitical risk |
The sunflower oil sector saw a USD 15–20 per ton decline, triggered by lower global oil prices amid renewed hopes for a resolution to the Middle East conflict. This pullback in the oil complex fed directly into raw sunflower seed valuations and forced crushers to revise bids lower.
Processors reported that sunflower seed and oil prices moved out of sync throughout April, with raw material costs not adjusting as quickly as finished oil values. This disproportionate movement caused a notable deterioration in processing margins, increasing pressure on crushers to push seed prices down in order to restore profitability.
Market Outlook
The near-term outlook for sunflower seeds is bearish as weaker export oil prices continue to weigh on raw seed bids. If the USD 15–20/ton drop in sunflower oil is sustained and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East remain contained, further downside corrections in seed prices are possible this week.
With processing margins under pressure, crushers are likely to continue testing lower purchase levels to protect profitability. Traders should watch developments in the Middle East closely, as any escalation could quickly reverse current trends by lifting global oil and sunflower oil prices, providing support to Ukrainian sunflower seed values.
Source: Market Data
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