Source: Ukragroconsult (Ukraine)
Global sunflower production in the upcoming 2026/27 season could reach a record 62-63 million tonnes. Specifically, this significantly exceeds the 56.9 million tonnes in the current season. It also surpasses the previous record of 59.4 million tonnes in 2023/24. These figures are reported in a forecast report by the German consulting agency Oil World. However, experts note these figures can only be achieved under favorable weather conditions.
Acreage Expansion Drives Global Sunflower Production Record
The agency notes that farmers in many countries are partially abandoning corn and other fertilizer-intensive crops. Instead, they are favoring sunflower and soybeans. Therefore, global sunflower seed acreage in 2026/27 could increase to a record 34.1 million hectares. This compares with 32.8 million hectares in the previous season.
Additionally, sunflower acreage in the EU is expected to increase by 0.2 million hectares this spring, reaching 4.9 million hectares. The largest increases are forecast for France, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Spain. As a result, this could boost sunflower production in the EU to 9.6-9.7 million tonnes. That is approximately 1 million tonnes more than last year’s harvest.
The largest increases in sunflower production next season are expected in Russia and Ukraine. They are expected to reach 20-21 million tonnes and 12.5-13 million tonnes, respectively.