- Acreage Expansion: Sunflower seeds planting area increased by 3.7% (+468.9 ha) to approximately 13,122 ha for the 2025 season.
- Yield Dynamics: 2024 sunflower yields in the Dnipropetrovsk cluster fell by 8 centners/ha year-on-year due to adverse weather, but still outperformed the regional average.
- High-Oleic Focus: High-oleic sunflower seeds accounted for about 3,000 tons (~20% of the 14,968-ton harvest), highlighting a strategic tilt toward premium segments.
- Market View: Overall impact is neutral to slightly bullish as acreage growth offsets weather-related yield risks while supporting supply for the 2025/26 season.
Dnipro Agro Group Sunflower Acreage and Production
Dnipro Agro Group expanded its sunflower seeds acreage to approximately 13,122 hectares for the 2025 season, a 3.7% increase of 468.9 hectares compared with the previous year. Within the Dnipropetrovsk cluster, sunflower now represents 50.8% of the total sown area, underlining the crop’s central role in the company’s rotation and revenue mix.
The company highlights two principal reasons for the acreage increase: maintaining optimal crop rotation to mitigate soil depletion and disease pressure, and capturing favorable oilseed market conditions where sunflower seed prices continue to support production profitability.
Yield Performance and High-Oleic Segment
In 2024, sunflower yields in the Dnipropetrovsk cluster reached 11.49 centners per hectare. While this level exceeded the regional average, it marked a decline of 8 centners per hectare versus the previous season, primarily due to adverse weather during the growing period. Total gross sunflower production amounted to 14,968 tons, including roughly 3,000 tons of high-oleic sunflower seeds, indicating that high-oleic varieties comprised about 20% of overall output.
| Metric | 2024 / 2025 Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Sunflower acreage (ha, 2025) | 13,122 | +468.9 ha vs. prior year |
| Share of sunflower in Dnipropetrovsk cluster sown area | 50.8% | n/a |
| Yield in Dnipropetrovsk cluster (2024) | 11.49 c/ha | -8 c/ha YoY |
| Total sunflower production (2024) | 14,968 tons | n/a |
| High-oleic sunflower production (2024) | ≈3,000 tons | ~20% of total |
Market Impact and Outlook
The modest acreage increase against a backdrop of weaker yields signals producer confidence in sunflower pricing and profitability, resulting in a neutral to slightly bullish market tone. Weather-driven yield volatility underscores ongoing production risk in the region, which could limit effective supply despite expanded planted area. The company’s emphasis on high-oleic varieties aligns with growing demand for premium oilseed products and may support price differentials in the 2025/26 marketing year.
Market participants should watch whether other regional producers mirror Dnipro Agro Group’s planting strategy. Broad-based acreage expansion across the region would shape Black Sea sunflower seed and oil export volumes, influencing basis levels and forward pricing into the 2025/26 season.
Source: Market Data
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