EU reduces sunseed processing to lowest level in 9 years

Sunflower seed processing volumes in the European Union fell to a nine-year low of 7.4 million tonnes in 2025. Despite seasonal growth in the last quarter, the figure remained significantly lower than last year (9 million tonnes in 2024). The main reasons are the reduction in the EU harvest and the consequences of crop failure in Ukraine, reports Oil World (Germany).

According to the agency, sunseed processing in the EU fell to 7.4 million tonnes in 2025. This is the lowest figure in the last 9 years, which is 18% less than the result of 2024.

Although there was a seasonal increase in processing in October-December 2025 (about 2.1 million tonnes, +7% compared to the previous quarter), these volumes were not enough to restore annual figures. The reason was the reduction in sunseed production within the EU, restrained sales of raw materials by farmers and disruption of export supplies from Ukraine.

The deterioration in margins forced European plants to partially reorient their capacities to more profitable crops, primarily rapeseed. This transition was most noticeable, as noted, in the Netherlands, France and Bulgaria. In the last quarter of 2025, rapeseed processing volumes in the EU reached 6.6 million tons (+5% year-on-year), which was facilitated by sufficient global raw material reserves and relatively high profitability of oil production.

Tags: Ukraine, sunflower oil, EU, sunseed