Sunflower seed prices in Ukraine decline amid rapid supply growth

Sunflower seed prices in Ukraine continue to decline as harvesting accelerates and domestic supply rises quickly. As of September 29, the crop had been harvested from 1.66 mln ha, or 32% of the planted area, producing 3.36 mln tons at an average yield of 2 t/ha.

Ukraine’s 2026 sunflower seed crop is forecast at 13–13.5 mln tons, compared with 10.5 mln tons last season. At the same time, some crushing plants will remain offline due to damage, meaning higher production could result in supply exceeding available processing capacity.

Sunflower seed purchase prices fell by another UAH 500/t over the week to UAH 17,000–19,000/t including VAT, or $335–370/t excluding VAT, delivered to the plant. Queues for unloading have already formed at many crushing facilities, prompting processors to limit purchases.

Additional pressure comes from low sunflower oil prices and rising export logistics costs. In Ukraine, demand prices for sunflower oil delivered to Danube ports are estimated at $1,090–1,100/t, while FCA plant prices stand at $1,050–1,100/t. Higher freight and road transportation costs are limiting traders’ ability to raise purchase prices for raw materials.

Dry and warm weather over the next 7–10 days could further accelerate harvesting and increase sunflower seed supply, adding pressure on prices. At the same time, some farmers plan to postpone sales until the second half of the season in hopes of more favorable market conditions.

Tags: prices, sunseed, Ukraine