Lang
Sunflower oil output is set to decline as EU sunflower seed production in 2024 is expected to hit its lowest level in nine years, according to European Commission estimates cited by Germany's Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP).
European Commission estimates indicate that sunflower seed production will reach just over 8.1 million tonnes in 2024, a 17% decline compared with the previous year and the smallest crop since 2015, according to a report published on 6 November.
Although the area planted with sunflowers rose by 4% to 4.9 million hectares, this expansion will not offset a 20% drop in yields to 16.7 decitonnes per hectare, the 6 November report said.
This marks the lowest yield in 12 years, caused by unfavourable weather conditions throughout the growing season, according to the report.
With a record sunflower planting area of 1.3 million hectares, Romania remained the most important producing region among the EU's 27 member states.
However, the country's output stood at 1.2 million tonnes, well below the 2 million tonnes recorded the previous year.
According to research by the Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI), production in Germany fell for a second consecutive year in 2024.
Nevertheless, Germany's sunflower planting area remained significantly higher than the level recorded before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as many German farmers substantially expanded their sunflower acreage in 2022 following the outbreak of the conflict.
Heavy rainfall has also raised concerns about production potential in France, where European Commission estimates forecast output of less than 1.8 million tonnes, a 14% decrease compared with 2023.
Source: Al Mal Forum