Bulgaria is discussing the possibility of restricting sunseed and rapeseed exports due to raw material shortages

Bulgarian processors are facing a shortage of raw materials and competition from Ukrainian sunflower oil on the European market. Because of this, the Association of Vegetable Oil Producers is discussing the possibility of restricting the export of sunseed and rapeseed, the association’s chairman Yani Yanev told the national radio station Focus.

“Drought has seriously affected sunflower yields over the past two years. The restrictions imposed on the export of oilseeds from all producing countries, the inability to provide sufficient raw materials to load our capacities and produce products at competitive prices, are forcing our processors to stop for long periods until they secure raw materials,” Yanev explained.

According to him, Bulgarian enterprises are determined to work for export, because in the past they successfully competed with the largest sunflower seeds processors from other countries. However, this is currently impossible due to the lack of raw materials.

“Larger processors are trying to switch to other oilseeds, but we still lost markets. We face strong competition from Ukraine, which imports about 2.2 million tons of unrefined sunflower oil and another 200 thousand tons of refined oil to the European market, including to Bulgaria,” says Yani Yanev.

He believes that the situation can be improved by limiting the export of raw materials — sunseed and rapeseed — and stimulating the export of processed products.

“We are working to somehow limit the export of sunseed and rapeseed. It will still go to the foreign market, but after it goes through processors and becomes a finished product on foreign markets. We have truly modern plants, we can successfully compete with the largest producers of vegetable oils and meal,” said the head of the Association of Vegetable Oil Producers of Bulgaria.

Tags: Bulgaria, export, sunseed, rapeseed, restrictions