Russia to plant record area with oilseed crops in 2025

Russia is set to plant a record area with oilseed crops in 2025, with 19.7 million hectares expected, excluding annexed Ukrainian territories, according to Dmitry Rylko, General Director of IKAR. Sunflower plantings are projected to expand to 10.1 million hectares in the 2025/26 season, while soybean plantings may reach a record 4.6 million hectares. By the end of the 2024/25 season, carryover stocks of sunseed are forecasted to be at their lowest in recent years, at 200,000 tons. With high yields, the 2025 harvest could reach 8.5 million tons, allowing Russia to meet domestic demand following GMO soy import restrictions starting in 2025.

Experts forecast that oilseed processing volumes in Russia will increase by 4-6 million tons over the next 3-5 years, requiring an additional 2.5 million hectares of plantings. The reseeding of winter wheat damaged by weather conditions could further boost oilseed crop areas, though the extent of the issue remains uncertain.

According to forecasts by Russia’s Oil and Fat Union, sunflower plantings could exceed 11.5 million hectares in 2025, with rapeseed areas expanding to 3 million hectares and soybean to 4.5 million hectares.

Tags: soybean, sunseed, rapeseed, sown area, crop forecast, Russia