The Russia sunflower oil duty has dropped sharply for May 2026, drawing immediate attention from traders and importers across global vegetable oil markets. Furthermore, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture has already published the new export duty rates on its website, making the change official and actionable for market participants. This significant downward shift affects not only sunflower oil but also sunflower meal, and therefore represents a meaningful development for anyone sourcing these commodities from Russia.
Russia Sunflower Oil Duty Falls 71% Compared to April
The duty on sunflower oil from Russia fell to 4,650 rubles per ton in May, down from 16,222 rubles in April. Consequently, this represents a 71% decrease month-on-month — a dramatic decline that significantly improves the export economics for Russian sunflower oil suppliers. Moreover, the duty on sunflower meal exports will be zero in May, compared to 749.6 rubles per ton in April. As a result, both products become notably more competitive on international markets this month.
Indicative Prices and Base Export Prices
The indicative prices used to calculate the duties are as follows:
- Sunflower oil: $1,291.8 per ton (versus $1,270.9 a month ago)
- Sunflower meal: $196.1 per ton
In addition, it was previously reported that, according to the published decree, the base export price for sunflower oil increased from 82,500 to 90,750 rubles per ton. Similarly, the base export price for sunflower meal rose from 15,875 to 17,463 rubles per ton. Therefore, the upward revision of base prices reflects the stronger global price environment for sunflower products.
How the Export Duty Formula Works
As a reminder, export customs duty rates for these products are calculated using a special formula. Specifically, the duty equals 70% of the difference between the indicative export price and the base export price approved by the government. Thus, when indicative prices rise faster than base prices, duties increase — and when the gap narrows, duties fall sharply, as seen this May.
This mechanism directly influences trading decisions. Consequently, buyers looking to source sunflower oil or sunflower seeds from Russia should monitor these monthly duty updates closely. Overall, the sharp Russia sunflower oil duty reduction in May opens a more favorable window for international procurement of Russian-origin oilseed products.
Source: Oleoscope (Russia)