Advertise
According to data from the Rosario Exchange, Argentina has significantly expanded its footprint in the global edible oil market, recording a 30% increase in sunflower oil exports during the first nine months of this year compared to the same period in 2025. Export volumes in September alone reached a record-breaking 177,000 tons for that month, while sunflower seed processing grew by 20% to reach 4.4 million tons during the period.
Trade flows toward India have seen a substantial surge. Between January and August 2026, Argentina supplied India with a record 3.2 million tons of edible oils. This volume included over 2.5 million tons of soybean oil and 750,000 tons of sunflower oil, the latter accounting for half of Argentina's total sunflower oil export volume for that timeframe. This expansion is largely attributed to supply constraints affecting Ukraine and the Russian Federation, following repeated attacks on critical port infrastructure in the Black Sea region.
In response to these regional instabilities, India is actively diversifying its procurement strategy by replacing Ukrainian and Russian sunflower oil with alternatives, specifically Argentine soybean oil. As Ukraine continues to lose its market share across Asian markets, the primary challenge for the country remains the restoration of its supply lines to the East.
Industry analysts suggest that until the new Argentine harvest enters the global market, a temporary window exists for Ukrainian exporters to regain ground with Asian buyers. Currently, approximately half of the sunflower oil exported from Ukraine is being absorbed by European Union markets.
Source: Rosario Exchange