Sunflower seed processing in the EU has decreased significantly

Sunflower seed processing in the European Union has fallen to its lowest level in recent years, according to an Oil World report dated September 15, 2025. According to analysts, in the period from April to June this year, processing amounted to only 1.6 million tons, which is significantly less than 2.21 million tons in the corresponding period in 2024. Overall, since the start of the 2024/25 season, sunflower processing volumes in the EU have decreased to 7.7 million tons, which is 1.65 million tons lower than in the 2023/24 season.

The largest reductions were recorded in Bulgaria, where processing fell by 0.5 million tons per year, as well as in Romania (-0.3 million tons), France and the Netherlands. This decline is due to insufficient supply of raw materials and deterioration of margins due to a sharp increase in sunflower prices, which forced processors in Germany, France and the Netherlands to switch to soybeans. As a result, soybean processing in the EU-27 increased to a maximum in the last three years – 15.4 million tonnes in the 2024/25 season against 14.4 million tonnes a year earlier.

Experts note that the situation on the sunflower market in the EU is complicated by structural problems, in particular dependence on imports and logistical difficulties. At the same time, processors are looking for alternative solutions, but a decrease in sunflower processing volumes may affect sunflower oil exports, which is traditionally an important segment for the European economy.

Tags: EU, sunseed