Ukraine is the main supplier of sunflower seeds, sunflower oil for the European market, writes Lanțul Alimentar.
Between July 1, 2022 and May 28, 2023, the European Union imported 1,808,056 tons of sunflower seeds from Ukraine, compared to 198,071 tons in the same period last year.
Moldova has lost first place
In percentage terms, imports from Ukraine account for 84.4% of total imports from third countries, compared to 27.9% in the previous marketing year, according to Lanțul Alimentar.
The increase in deliveries from Ukraine by a factor of around 9 has resulted in the Republic of Moldova losing its leading position, after having a market share of 49% in the previous year with a volume of 347,540 tons. From 1 July 2022 to 28 May 2023, the Republic of Moldova is in second place with a volume of 194,219 tons. Next in line are Argentina – 35,638 tons compared to 36,715 tons; China – 35,400 tons compared to 35,455 tons and Turkey – 26,782 tons compared to 32,248 tons.
The largest importers of sunflower seed from outside the EU are: Bulgaria – 82,077 tons; Romania – 487,146 tons and Hungary – 329,602 tons. The total quantity purchased by the EU in the period from 1 July 2022 to 28 May 2023 amounts to 2,141,475 tons, which is 202% more than in the same period of the previous marketing year (709,406 tons).
Less sunflower oil
The largest quantity of sunflower oil comes from Ukraine, but this year it is less than in the previous marketing year: 1,344,602 tons (88.7% of the market) compared to 1,474,004 tons (82.7%) last year. This fact shows that Ukraine was already an important supplier of sunflower oil to the European market before the war began on February 24, 2022. The drought has severely affected the sunflower harvest in Moldova.
Imports from the Republic of Moldova have roughly halved to 60,563 tons compared to 141,063 tons, while imports from Serbia have fallen to 61,477 tons compared to 71,808 tons. Lanțul Alimentar notes that Serbia has overtaken Moldova, although deliveries have fallen compared to the previous marketing year. The largest European importer of sunflower oil is Poland with 357,234 tons, followed by Spain with 266,355 tons and Bulgaria with 205,356 tons. Romania imported 52,014 tons, putting it in eighth place. The European Union imported a total of 1,515,386 tons of sunflower oil, 15% less than in the same period of the previous trading year (1,782,047 tons).
Moldova increased exports of sunflower meal 6-fold
Ukraine is also in first place in the “sunflower meal” category (for animal feed), after sales on the European market rose from 723,549 tons (32.8%) to 1,096,280 tons (44.7%). This put Ukraine ahead of Russia, which supplied 846,154 tons (38.3%) to the European market in the past financial year. Russia is now in second place with 568,173 tons (23%). Argentina is in third place with 533,361 tons (21.7%), slightly more than in the previous year: 532,282 tons (24.1%). In fourth place is the Republic of Moldova, which increased its deliveries around sixfold from 19,049 tons (0.9%) to 108,741 tons (4.4%). Serbia also increased its sales from 66,630 tons (3%) to 76,240 tons (3.1%).
Poland is the largest importer of sunflower meal (558,155 tons), followed by the Netherlands (393,494 tons) and Latvia (323,627 tons), while Romania imported 43,977 tons from outside the EU. From 1 July 2022 to 28 May 2023, the European Union imported 2,454,604 tons of sunflower meal, an increase of 11% compared to the same period last year (2,206,821 tons).
Source: Ukragroconsult (Ukraine)