Ukraine Sunflower Seed Prices Plunge Amid Record Harvest

Sunflower seed prices in Ukraine are continuing to decline as the country's rapid sunflower seed supply growth accelerates. As of September 29, 1.66 million hectares, or 32% of the planted area, had been harvested from, producing 3.36 million tons at an average yield of 2 t/ha.

The total production for the 2026 crop is forecast to be between 13-13.5 million tons, compared with last season's 10.5 million tons. However, some crushing plants will remain offline due to damage, potentially leading to supply exceeding available processing capacity.

Purchase prices for sunflower seeds have fallen by UAH 500/t over the week to UAH 17,000-19,000/t including VAT, or $335-$370/t excluding VAT. Crushing facilities are experiencing queues for unloading and processors are limiting purchases due to low demand for sunflower oil.

The dry and warm weather forecasted over the next 7-10 days is expected to further accelerate harvesting and increase supply, putting additional pressure on prices. Some farmers are planning to postpone sales until the second half of the season in hopes of more favorable market conditions.