Ukraine increases sunflower oil production, exports by 25%

During the 2022/2023 marketing year, Ukraine saw a significant increase in the production and exports of sunflower oil, by 25.4 percent, as well as sunflower meal, by 27.3 percent, the industry’s association, Ukroliiaprom, said in a statement.

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The exports of sunflower seeds from Ukraine decreased by 58 percent in the first eight months of 2023, compared to the same period last year.

This contributed to an increase in the processing of sunflower seeds at domestic enterprises and the production of high value-added products.

In addition, soybean oil production and exports in Ukraine grew by 18 percent, and soybean meal exports by 19.4 percent.

The figures could have been even higher if domestic soybean processing had been increased, especially given the transportation of processed products, Ukroliiaprom noted in a statement.

Despite the forecasted 15-percent increase in sunflower seed production in the 2023/2024 marketing year, it is expected to decrease due to insufficient initial stocks at the start of the year.

In order to achieve the same level of processing, it is necessary to maximise the use of domestic capacities for sunflower seed processing and solve logistical issues regarding the supply of sunflower oil and meal for export, Ukroliiaprom notes.

The next, 2023/2024 marketing year in Ukraine is expected to see a significant increase in production of the main types of oilseeds, by 18.8 percent, driven by a 12.1-percent increase in the area under crops and a 5.7-percent average yield increase.