EU expects smallest sunflower seed crop in 9 years

Unfavorable weather conditions have significantly affected sunflower seed yields in the EU in 2024. Despite an increase in planted area, gross harvest volumes have decreased significantly compared to previous years.

The EU Commission estimates that the EU will produce around 8.1 million tons of sunflower seeds in 2024, 17% less than in 2023. This is the lowest yield since 2015. A 4% increase in planted area to 4.9 million hectares could not compensate for the decline in yields, which fell by an average of 20% to 16.7 c/ha. The reason for such a low harvest in the last 12 years was climatic anomalies during the growing season.

Romania remains the most important sunflower producing region in the EU-27 with a record 1.3 million hectares under cultivation. However, the total harvest of 1.2 million tons is far from last year’s result of 2.0 million tons.

According to a study by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (mbH), Germany’s 2024 seed yields fell for the second year in a row. Nevertheless, the planted area is still well above the level until 2022, when many German farmers massively increased sunflower cultivation.

Heavy rainfall recently has also heightened concerns about France’s final harvest. The EU Commission recently announced a projected harvest cut of nearly 1.8 million tons, a 14% reduction from 2023.

Earlier, it was reported that Turkey’s sunflower output this season would fall to its lowest level in nearly a decade due to extremely dry weather in the key oilseed producing region – by 300,000 tons to 1.25 million tons, which would be the lowest since MY 2015/16.

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Tags: EU, sunseed, crop forecast