Sunflower harvest in the EU in 2024/25 MY decreased by 18%

The European Commission has reduced the forecast for sunflower production in the EU in 2024 by 7 thousand tons to 8 million tons compared to December estimates, which will be 18% lower than the previous season due to adverse weather conditions.

 

At the same time, Romania's harvest will be 38% lower than in 2023, reaching a 15-year low of 1.2 million tons, despite record sowing areas. Therefore, the country will move from first to fourth place in the ranking of major producers.

 

Hungary will take first place with a harvest of 1.7 million tons, which will be 13% lower than the previous one. France will take second place, where, according to Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (mbH), the harvest will decrease by 18% to 1.7 million tons due to prolonged rains.

 

The German Farmers' Association has reduced its sunflower harvest forecast by 7,000 tonnes compared to December to 127,000 tonnes, which will be 25% less than in 2023, but 20% higher than the average of the last 5 years. In 2022, against the backdrop of a rapid increase in prices, many farmers increased the area sown with sunflower, but in 2023 they reduced it again.

 

In Ukraine, farmers expected a sharp increase in sunflower oil prices amid a decline in local and European sunflower harvests. However, EU sunflower and sunflower oil prices remain at $520-600/t and $1,100-1,200/t, respectively, as European consumers prefer rapeseed oil. In addition, increased production and consumption of olive oil are also putting pressure on quotes.