India loses leadership among importers of Ukrainian sunflower oil

In October 2025, Ukraine’s exports of vegetable oils grew significantly, reaching $619.5 million, a 65.4% increase compared to September. In physical terms, export volumes rose by 63%, according to the AgroDigest monthly trade report from the Ministry of Economy.

The main driver of growth was sunflower oil, whose exports more than doubled (up 2.2 times) in both value and volume terms. Soybean oil exports also increased by about 28%, while rapeseed oil shipments declined by 14–15%. Minor growth was recorded for other oils, such as cottonseed and mustard oil.

Traditionally, the European Union and Asian countries remain the key buyers of Ukrainian oils, accounting for nearly 60% and 35.2% of total exports respectively in October. The highest demand within the EU came from the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland.

Soybean oil was mainly supplied to Poland, while sunflower oil was most actively purchased by Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and India. However, India — once the largest importer of Ukrainian sunflower oil — has lost its leading position, as European countries have significantly increased their purchases.

African markets remain secondary, importing relatively small volumes of Ukrainian vegetable oils compared to Europe and Asia.

Tags: India, Ukraine, sunflower oil, export