Turkey’s sunseed production may increase by 24% in 2026/27 MY

Sunflower seed production in Turkey may increase to 1.55 mln tonnes in the MY 2026/27, up from around 1.25 mln tonnes a season earlier. The recovery is expected if weather conditions return to normal following drought that particularly affected crops in the Thrace region.

According to estimates by the USDA office in Ankara, sunflower planted area may reach around 760 thsd ha in the new season. However, due to drought and profitability concerns, farmers in Thrace may reduce sunflower acreage by 10–15%, switching to barley and rapeseed. At the same time, planted area may expand in parts of Central Anatolia and the Aegean region.

Despite the expected recovery, domestic production is insufficient to meet the needs of Turkey’s processors and consumers. Sunflower seed imports in the MY 2025/26 were estimated at around 1.4 mln tonnes. Imports help supply oilseed crushing plants with raw materials and maintain processing capacity utilisation.

In response to tight domestic supplies, Turkey used lower import duties and tariff-rate quotas to facilitate imports of sunflower seed and crude sunflower oil. Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria were among the major suppliers in the Black Sea region. Import conditions also affect domestic prices and the competitiveness of local producers.

Future production trends will depend on weather conditions, yields and the profitability of sunflower compared with alternative crops. Sunflower is strategically important to Turkey not only as a source of edible oil but also as a raw material for the processing industry and sunflower meal production, which supports the livestock sector.

Tags: Turkey, sunseed, crop forecast