Category: Sunflower Seeds

Key Takeaways Policy Shift: Kazakhstan’s competition authority has recommended a gradual reduction of the €100/ton sunflower seeds export duty after deeming it economically unviable. Farmer Squeeze: Sunflower farmers face losses as processors deduct the full €100/ton duty from domestic purchase prices, while exports have fallen 20% and warehouses are overflowing. Trade Flows: A duty rollback…

Sunflower seeds: Russia has secured 42.9 thousand tons for the 2026 sowing campaign, covering 97% of domestic demand. Overall seed self-sufficiency: Domestic seed share in the agro-industrial complex has risen to 69.3% in 2024, up from around 60% in 2022. Export footprint: Russian-bred seeds are now supplied to 35 countries, reflecting growing competitiveness in regional…

Bullish: Ukraine may expand sunflower seed acreage by 5–20% in 2026 on high prices and improved soil moisture, signaling potential production recovery. Bullish: Kabardino-Balkaria’s sunflower harvest rose 1.6x year-on-year, driven by both area expansion and higher yields, underscoring strong regional yield potential. Bearish: Ukraine’s 2025 sunflower harvest fell to about 10 million tons from 16…

Import Substitution Milestone: Domestically bred sunflower seeds in Stavropol Krai rise to 50% of plantings in 2026, up from 30% in 2025. Secured Sowing Campaign: Spring 2026 sowing will cover 1 million hectares with seeds, fertilizers, and fuel already secured. Strong State Support: Agricultural support totals 4.8 billion rubles in 2026, following a 22% year-on-year…

Bearish for Black Sea sunflower seeds: EU sunflower seed processing fell to 7.4 million tonnes in 2025 (from 9 million in 2024), a nine-year low that weakens demand for Ukrainian and other Black Sea origins. Capacity shift to rapeseed: Refineries in the Netherlands, France, and Bulgaria are reallocating crushing capacity to rapeseed as sunflower processing margins deteriorate.…

Ukrainian sunflower seed prices declined to UAH 28,800–29,200/t CPT amid aggressive farmer selling and stock accumulation at crushers. Premium-quality seeds with higher oil content still attracted up to UAH 30,000–30,500/t CPT, highlighting selective processor demand. Weak January crushing due to infrastructure attacks and power shortages curtailed sunflower oil and meal exports, reinforcing a bearish tone.…

Leader Identified: Aston food products and food ingredients – Povolzhye LLC was the top domestic rail shipper of sunflower seeds in Russia for July–December 2025. Elevator Dominance: Elevator and grain handling companies make up most of the top 20 shippers, underscoring strong inland processing and distribution capacity. Logistics Signals: Concentrated rail flows hint at active…

Neutral to Bearish: Ukrainian sunflower meal exports fell 16% year-on-year to ~1 million tonnes in Sep–Dec 2025/26, among the weakest performances in 15 seasons. Bearish EU demand: Shipments to the EU plunged to 237,000 tonnes as Ukraine’s market share collapsed from 63% to 23%, with Argentina gaining a dominant 64% share on stronger price competitiveness.…

Prices soften: Ukrainian sunflower seed values for 48% oil content have eased to UAH 28,800–29,000/ton from recent highs of UAH 29,500–29,700/ton. Processor coverage high: Crushers have already secured around 60–70% of February needs, cutting purchasing activity and removing price premiums. Further downside expected: PUSK analysts project an additional short-term decline of UAH 500–700/ton, but do…

Prices retreat from peak: Ukrainian sunflower seed values eased from UAH 30,500/t to around UAH 28,800–29,600/t for medium lots as farmer selling increased. Large-lot premiums persist: Bulk purchases of 2,000–3,000 tons still achieve UAH 30,200–30,500/t (about $700/t) for 48–49% oil content, with higher prices for premium seed. Export demand emerging: Isolated export deals to Bulgaria…