Sunflower meal supplies to China increased fourfold in March

In March, China’s imports of seven types of vegetable oils and five types of meals remained unusually high, reaching 839,000 tonnes and 1 million tonnes, respectively, due to reduced rapeseed and canola processing and the accumulation of reserve stocks, primarily from imported palm oil, according to analysts at Oil World (Germany).

Specifically, China imported the most palm oil in March – 510,000 tonnes (308,000 tonnes in March 2025), rapeseed oil – 187,000 tonnes (344,000 tonnes), and sunflower oil – 49,000 tonnes (40,000 tonnes).

Sunflower meal supplies increased almost fourfold compared to March 2025, reaching 352,000 tonnes (90,000 tonnes), of which 233,000 tonnes came from Ukraine, 82,000 tonnes from Russia, and 37,000 tonnes from Kazakhstan. Rapeseed meal imports totaled 294,000 (252,000) tonnes, including 104,000 tonnes from Russia, 39,000 tonnes from Ukraine, 74,000 tonnes from India, 40,000 tonnes from the UAE, and 30,000 tonnes from Canada.

In total, China has imported 5.19 million tonnes of vegetable oils since the start of the season (+0.9 million tonnes compared to October-March 2024/25). In particular, palm oil imports increased to a three-year high, reaching 2.97 (2.06) million tonnes. Rapeseed oil imports also totaled 1.16 (1.3) million tonnes.

Total oilseed meal imports into the country increased by 1.5 million tons annually from October to March 2025/26, reaching 4.71 million tons, of which sunflower meal accounted for 1.49 million tons (0.58 million tons) and rapeseed meal for 1.42 million tons (1.49 million tons).

According to OleoScope, China purchased 245,000 tons of sunflower meal in the first quarter of the year, becoming the largest buyer for the period. Turkey ranked second with 28,000 tons.

Tags: China, sunflower meal