German rapeseed oil exports are declining

According to the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, after the country’s rapeseed oil exports in 2023/24 reached their second-best level since the turn of the century, a downward trend in sales to foreign markets is emerging in the 2024/25 season.

Exports for the season totaled 1.27 million tonnes, approximately 2.7% lower than the 1.31 million tonnes recorded in 2023/24, according to the German Union for the Promotion of Oilseed and Grain Cultivation (UFOP).

Germany primarily supplies rapeseed products to consumers in the European Union, whose share accounts for 88%. Significant volumes were also shipped to Asia in 2024/25: 20,900 tonnes to China and 9,700 tonnes to Israel.

As usual, the largest volume of rapeseed oil was shipped to the Netherlands – just under 733,100 tonnes, accounting for more than half of total exports in 2024/25. However, this is only 1% higher than the previous year. Belgium ranks second with 84,800 tonnes, a significant decline of 43%. Poland follows with a 70% increase, Denmark with a 7% increase, and France with a 5% increase.

The Union continues to emphasize the importance of the oilseed sector for European agriculture, citing the export volumes of rapeseed oil and its biodiesel production (1.90 million tonnes). German oilseed mills process between 9 and 10 million tonnes of oilseed per season, primarily rapeseed. This year’s rapeseed harvest, amounting to approximately 4 million tonnes, reflects the need for imports to ensure capacity utilization.

Tags: Germany, rapeseed oil