EU rapeseed imports fall to 5.4 mln tons as domestic production increases

The European Union significantly reduced rapeseed imports from third countries in the 2025/26 marketing season. According to the European Commission, imports into the EU-27 declined to 5.4 mln tons, compared with 7.5 mln tons a year earlier, according to Germany’s Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP). The main driver was higher domestic rapeseed production, which reduced the bloc’s reliance on external suppliers.

Despite recent extreme weather events, the European Commission maintains a positive outlook for the 2026 rapeseed crop. Demand for rapeseed products continues to be supported by national renewable energy targets under the RED III Directive, which encourages the development of oilseed and protein crop production within the EU.

The decline in imports affected all major suppliers. Shipments from Australia fell by 41% to just over 2.1 mln tons. Ukrainian rapeseed exports to the EU declined by around 34% to 1.6 mln tons, while Canadian shipments dropped from 1.1 mln tons to 870 thsd tons.

At the same time, Canadian rapeseed faces specific restrictions on the European market. A significant share of rapeseed varieties grown in Canada is genetically modified (GM), meaning that rapeseed oil produced from this feedstock has limited use in the EU food industry. As a result, Canadian imports are directed primarily to biofuel production, where demand is supported by the environmental requirements of the RED III Directive.

Tags: Canada, rapeseed, rapeseed oil, biofuel, Australia, Ukraine, EU