Argentina significantly increases sunseed and sunflower products exports since start of year

Sunflower seed exports from Argentina remained strong in March, totaling 202,000 tons, reflecting early and active sales of the new crop. Since the beginning of the year, total exports have reached 620,000 tons, more than 56 times higher than last year’s level of just 11,000 tons, according to Oil World (Germany).

Key destinations include Bulgaria – 283,000 tons, Romania – 77,000 tons, Portugal – 53,000 tons, France – 22,000 tons, Spain and the Netherlands – 20,000 tons each, and Turkey – nearly 100,000 tons. Some shipments initially destined for Turkey may have been redirected to Romania.

Meanwhile, in March, exports of sunflower oil and sunflower meal from Argentina rose sharply due to increased processing. Oil shipments reached 175,000 tons, up 47% from 119,000 tons last year, while meal exports totaled 174,000 tons, a 49% increase from 117,000 tons a year earlier.

Argentina’s sunflower harvest in 2026 is expected to exceed 6.5 million tons. Harvesting is progressing significantly faster than last year: as of March 31, 5.1 million tons have been collected, up 46% from 3.5 million tons a year ago, indicating high yields for the oilseed crop.

The US Department of Agriculture previously forecast a record sunflower seed crop and processing in Argentina for the new season. Total harvests for 2026/27 are expected to reach a historic high, with processing also hitting a record 5 million tons. Rising production and processing may continue to put downward pressure on sunflower oil prices. Since the start of the year, Argentine products have been trading at a discount of around $30/ton compared to Black Sea origin on the Indian market.

Tags: export, sunseed, Argentina