Sunflower seed output set to hit record level

Global sunflower seed output is set to hit a new record high in 2023/24 following larger harvests in the EU-27 and Ukraine.
The International Grains Council (IGC) projects a global sunflower seed harvest of 56.9 million tonnes this season.
This will not only be up around 5% on the previous year, but also 1.6 million tonnes more than previously expected.
The previous record high of 56.2 million tonnes reached in the 2021/22 season will probably be exceeded by 700,000 tonnes.
According to Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft, the main reason for the upward revision is expected larger harvests in the EU-27 and Ukraine.
Recent favourable growing conditions in parts of the EU are seen to have enhanced yield potential considerably. With 10.5 million tonnes currently forecast, the EU harvest is likely to be just about 15 per cent larger than the previous year.
According to latest information, the sunflower seed area in Ukraine amounts to 5.3 million hectares. Taking into account potential land in currently embattled areas, the council estimates the production area at 6.5 million hectares, which would be an 8% increase on the previous year.
Against this background the harvest, which is currently estimated at 15.3 million tonnes, is set to exceed the previous year's level by just less than 9%. However, the forecast is vague considering the continued war in eastern Europe.
Russian production in the marketing season 2023/24 is seen to peak at 16.4 million tonnes for the second consecutive year.