Sunflower area is growing in the UK

Sunflower cultivation in the UK is gaining momentum, as the country imports around 60,000 tonnes of seeds annually. According to United Oilseeds, in the future the area under the crop could increase to 30,000 hectares to meet domestic demand. The increase in the area under the crop is facilitated not only by climate change, but also by the development of agricultural technologies.

This is reported by Farmers Weekly.

Last year, United Oilseeds opened the first marketing pool for sunflowers in the UK, and its success was confirmed by the final price level – £450/t, which exceeded the expected £400/t. Sunflower for oil production is sold at prices similar to rapeseed in Europe, which makes it an attractive crop.

Previously, the area under sunflower in the country was small – about 600 hectares, according to Yara, but climate change is contributing to the expansion of crops.

Lincolnshire farmer Vanessa Tagg says sunflowers are a profitable catch crop, although late harvests can be challenging. Growing the crop requires minimal input – just pre-emergence herbicide, light fertilisation and desiccation before harvest. Yields range from 1.6t/ha to 3t/ha, and in some cases up to 4t/ha.

However, government support for the industry is under threat. Farmers were previously eligible for £45/ha under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme, but the government suspended new applications on 11 March, which could make funding more difficult.

Tags: UK, sunseed