Cargill to invest $150 mln to improve sunseed processing in France

Cargill is investing $150 million in its Saint-Nazaire, France, facility to upgrade its sunflower seed processing capacity.

The company intends to shift its production from low-protein sunflower meal to high-protein products, primarily for animal feed, La Baule+ reports.

“This upgrade aims to strengthen the regional vegetable protein sector while reducing its dependence on imported oilseed meal,” the report explains.

Cargill’s Saint-Nazaire facility is located in a region where sunflower cultivation is expanding, and the company plans to work with local farmers and agricultural cooperatives.

The project also includes an energy component. The sunflower husks obtained after processing will be used on site as fuel for a new biomass boiler. This installation is expected to reduce natural gas consumption by more than 100 GWh per year and reduce CO₂ emissions at the site by approximately 20,000 tons per year. The company expects to reduce CO₂ emissions at the site by almost 90%.

Surplus shells will be converted into agricultural biomass pellets that can be used as fuel in heating networks.

Construction is expected to begin in November 2026, and commissioning is expected in March 2029.

For reference: Cargill Inc. is the world’s largest private company investing in food production. It operates in 68 countries around the world, sells grain, oil, sugar and other products. It is also the largest producer of agricultural products.

Tags: Cargill, France, sunseed