Category: Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seed prices in Ukraine rose to processor bids of UAH 28,500–30,500/t, supported by stronger sunflower oil values and currency volatility. Working sunflower seed purchase prices settled around UAH 29,200–29,500/t FCA, reflecting firm demand from processors. Sunflower meal prices weakened to UAH 9,500–9,800/t FCA in central and southern regions amid subdued buyer interest. Market sentiment…

Surging Argentine exports: Sunflower seed shipments to the EU reached 216,000 tons in February 2025, nearly double January volumes, driving a 17-fold year-on-year increase for the October–February period. EU sourcing shift: Bulgaria and Romania have rapidly increased purchases from Argentina, reducing reliance on traditional Black Sea origins. Rising production outlook: Argentine sunflower production is projected…

Bearish Argentina: Second consecutive Argentine sunflower seed shipment to Bulgaria rejected over pesticide residues, with malathion about three times above EU limits. Neutral Food Supply: All non-compliant cargo is being diverted to biofuel use, preventing contaminated seeds and by-products from entering EU food chains. Supportive for Black Sea Seeds: Quality concerns on 14 scheduled Argentine…

Prices Stabilized: Ukrainian sunflower seed prices held at UAH 28,300–29,800/t CPT, with workable bids from UAH 29,000/t CPT amid FX-driven volatility. Processing at Multi-Year Low: Only 5.5 MMT processed in Sep–Feb MY 2025/26, the smallest first-half volume on record, pointing to tightening domestic supply. Limited Farmer Selling: Farmer reluctance to sell and uncertainty over currency…

Export Growth: Kazakhstan’s sunflower meal exports to the EU jumped 23% year-on-year to 42.6 thousand tons in July–December 2025. Key Buyers: Germany and Sweden led demand with 9.7 and 9.3 thousand tons respectively, reinforcing Kazakhstan’s role in Northern Europe. Market Position: Kazakhstan remains the EU’s third-largest sunflower meal supplier, far behind Argentina (544.6 thousand tons)…

Bearish: Ukrainian sunflower seed prices moved into a downward correction, pressured by weaker sunflower oil export demand. Bearish: Processing plant purchase prices fell to around UAH 29,000-30,000/t CPT, with some bids dropping as low as UAH 28,500/t CPT. Bearish: Persistently low demand in the sunflower meal sector further squeezed processing margins and reinforced negative sentiment.…

Bullish: Turkey’s sunflower seed imports are projected to surge to 1 million tons in 2025/26, supporting sustained crush and export activity for sunflower oil. Bearish: Growing competition from Argentine origin in the second half of 2025/26 may pressure Black Sea and EU exporters on price and margins. Structural Shift: Tight domestic supply and strong refined…

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…

Bearish near term: Rapid influx of Argentine sunflower seeds equal to roughly one-sixth to one-seventh of Bulgaria’s annual output is creating immediate oversupply and price pressure. Inventory overhang: Around 600,000 tons of Bulgarian sunflower seeds remain in storage, intensifying competition with cheaper imports. Regulatory risk: Industry demands strict testing of imports for residues from EU-banned…

Scale of imports: Bulgaria has contracted up to 400,000 tons of Argentine sunflower seeds, equivalent to around 26–27% of its 1.5 million ton domestic crop. Regional impact: Combined Bulgarian and Romanian purchases could exceed 500,000 tons, significantly boosting sunflower seed availability for Balkan processors. Price arbitrage: Argentine FOB values at $470–500/MT and CIF Bulgaria at…