Category: Sunflower Seeds

Kazakhstan blocked a 14.3-ton shipment of sunflower seeds contaminated with Phomopsis helianthus at the border. The cargo was imported from Belarus with the United States declared as the country of origin. Administrative proceedings have been initiated against the shipment owner, with the case sent to court. Stricter phytosanitary controls in Kazakhstan may tighten regional sunflower…

Bearish sunflower seeds prices: Global production projected to rise about 10% to 62–63 million tonnes in 2026/27 MY, creating potential oversupply. Black Sea dominance: Russia and Ukraine together could harvest 32.5–34 million tonnes, more than half of global output, strengthening their pricing power. Acreage expansion: World sunflower area forecast to hit a record 34.1 million…

Third consecutive Argentine sunflower seed cargo to Bulgaria rejected for exceeding EU pesticide limits, with deltamethrin levels twice the permitted threshold. Cumulative rejected volume has reached about 118,500 tons of Argentine sunflower seeds currently held in Bulgaria. Quality issues in Argentine supply are supportive for Black Sea origin sunflower seeds in EU markets, potentially tightening…

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…