Global Sunflower Market Weekly Summary

• Serbian farmers, responding to drought-driven corn yield losses, are pivoting toward sunflower cultivation during the April 2026 spring sowing period, drawn by the crop's relative drought resilience and lower capital requirements. Input costs for sowing have risen 15% year on year and credit access is tightening, making sunflower an increasingly attractive option for producers seeking income stability under financial pressure.
• Russia's sunflower oil production reached 7.2 million tons in 2025, with projections to surpass 8 million tons by the end of the 2025/26 season. Despite this output growth, exports fell 14% in the first half of the season, constrained by a stronger ruble, elevated export duties, and logistical challenges that are eroding export profitability.
• Ukraine is forecasting a 15% decline in sunflower production for the 2026/27 marketing year, with output estimated at 12.8 million tons, reflecting lower expected yields despite increased planted area. Sunflower oil production, however, is projected to rise 15% to 5.5 million tons, driven by expanded domestic crushing capacity and a strategic shift toward value-added exports, particularly to the European Union.
• Kazakhstan's sunflower seed inventories reached 1.47 million tons as of 1 April 2026, more than double the prior year following a record 2025 harvest. Export duties and elevated production costs are limiting international competitiveness, and a price correction remains possible if these stocks are not efficiently processed or exported.
• Moldova recorded a monthly export record of 92,000 tons in March 2026, bringing cumulative exports to nearly 704,000 tons since the August 2025 marketing season began. Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria are the primary destinations, though limited port capacity and elevated transport costs may constrain further export growth.