Sunflower production in Ukraine in 2025 will not exceed 13.6-13.7 million tons, which is only 7% higher than in 2024, according to the information and analytical agency APK-Inform.
Analysts noted that weather conditions continue to reduce the yield potential of sunflower in Ukraine, particularly in the south and east of the country, where up to 50% of the total area under this oilseed crop is concentrated. Cool weather in the spring and critically low soil moisture reserves in these regions, combined with insufficient rainfall, have created unfavorable conditions for the development of oilseed crops.
According to their information, a number of farmers report that crops are in very poor condition: uneven plant growth in the field, delayed vegetation, small heads, as a result of which decisions are being made to disc these fields and prepare for winter sowing. In a number of regions, crops suffered from high temperatures in July, and hail was also reported locally.
Experts noted that crop losses in the south and east may be offset by expected better sunflower yields in the center, as well as in the west and north, where temperatures and precipitation were more favorable.
They are convinced that a significant increase in the cost of sunflower seeds in the new season should not be expected.
“First, many factories are changing their operating strategies to avoid losses and negative margins, as in the 2024/2025 season. Second, the low cost of sunflower oil, whose trade slowed in the 2024/2025 season due to lower production. Thirdly, plants will now have an advantage in the form of export duties on soybeans and rapeseed, which may contribute to an increase in the supply of oilseeds on the domestic market,” APK-Inform concluded.
In 2025-2026 marketing year (MY), the Association “Ukroliyaprom” forecasts the production of oilseeds in the amount of 22 mln tons of oilseeds, which can be fully processed at domestic oil extraction plants (OEP), the press service of the association reports.
According to the industry association, in the current season Ukraine can harvest 13.0 mln tons of sunflower, 3.0 mln tons of rapeseed and 6.0 mln tons of soybeans.
“With the current capacities in Ukraine (excluding the temporarily occupied territories and the war zone), the entire harvest can be processed domestically,” Ukroliyaprom emphasized and added that they are hopeful about this after the adoption of the soybean-rape amendments, which provide for the introduction of an export duty on rapeseed and soybeans.
At the same time, the association said that they do not expect farmers and cooperatives to send the entire soybean and rapeseed crop for processing at the first stage.
Ukroliyaprom predicts that in 2025/26 MY, the mills will be able to process 1.5-1.6 mln tons of rapeseed and 3-3.2 mln tons of soybeans.
On July 16, the EBA highly appreciated the adoption of the draft law No. 13157 “On Amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine in connection with the adoption of the Law of Ukraine ”On Integrated Prevention and Control of Industrial Pollution“ in the second reading, which contained ”soybean-rape” amendments. They provide for the establishment of an export duty on rapeseed and soybean seeds in the amount of 10% from the 1st day of the month following the adoption of the law.
“The adoption of this draft law in terms of establishing an export duty on rapeseed and soybeans will increase their processing and increase exports of high value-added products. Finally, Ukraine has created conditions for maximum processing of major oilseeds (sunflower, soybean, rapeseed) at domestic facilities,” the business association emphasized.
Ukroliyaprom reminded that since 1998 it had considered the introduction of a duty on oilseed exports as its main goal, which has finally been achieved. From now on, the industry association proclaimed the main task to maximize the processing of rapeseed and soybean seeds starting from 2025/26 MY.
As reported, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food forecasted the harvest of rapeseed at 3 mln tonnes, soybean – 5.7 mln tonnes, sunflower – 20 mln tonnes in 2025 MY.
The production acreage in Ukraine in the 2025 season will be identical to last year’s, plus 270,000 hectares of demined land, said First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotsky.
“Overall, the production areas will be the same as last year. An additional 270,000 hectares have been demined. But in terms of our total sowing area of 20 million hectares, this is 1%. So, for basic crops, to which we will add sugar beets and vegetables, farmers will have 20 million hectares. This confirms that we are working in all possible areas,” he said at a meeting of the Trend&Hedge Club on Wednesday.
According to Vysotsky, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food expects to harvest 21.2 million tons of wheat in 2025, compared to 22 million tons a year ago, which is 5% less. The ministry estimates wheat exports at 15-16 million tons.
According to him, the barley harvest will amount to approximately 4.5 million tons, which is 10% less than in 2024, with exports at 2.2-2.3 million tons.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy does not expect any problems with buckwheat and promises that the domestic market will be supplied and the surplus exported.
The ministry is not yet ready to make final forecasts for grain corn, as the active growing season is still underway. However, departmental analysts adhere to a conservative forecast of 26 million tons, which is also at least 5% less than last season.
“We see grain at around 54.5-53.5 million tons.
This is plus/minus 5%,” Vysotsky emphasized.
He added that the rapeseed harvest in the 2025 season is expected to be 3 million tons, compared to 5.7 million tons in 2024, soybeans – 5.7 million tons, compared to 6.6 million tons, and sunflowers – 20 million tons.
Vysotsky noted that the greatest doubts about harvest volumes currently concern sunflower, as the crop is suffering from drought in the south of the country, and these regions may lose up to 6% of their harvest, which could lead to a reduction in the gross harvest to 15 million tons or less.
In total, the oilseed harvest in Ukraine in 2025 will amount to 20.5 million tons, the first deputy minister of agricultural policy concluded.
Agrane Agro Holding has completed the harvest of winter grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season on 19 thou hectares in Odesa region, the company’s press service reports.
The agricultural holding specified that it harvested winter wheat from an area of over 6 thou hectares, winter rapeseed from over 7 thou hectares, winter barley from over 4 thou hectares, and winter peas from over 1 thou hectares.
Agrane harvested the crops using modern high-performance machinery, which minimized crop losses, accelerated the pace of work, and maintained high grain quality. The yields for most crops met the targets and in some places even exceeded them, the report says.
It is specified that currently the entire harvest is delivered to Agrane elevators, where it undergoes multi-level quality control and, if necessary, is dried before storage.
“It is crucial for us not only to organize a fast and well-coordinated harvesting process, but also to ensure that the crops remain of high quality. We carefully plan each stage of the campaign – from monitoring crop maturation to logistics and preparing the infrastructure for grain storage,” said Taras Kornienko, Chief Agronomist of Agrane Group.
“Agrain is engaged in the cultivation and storage of grains and oilseeds, as well as livestock farming. Before the full-scale Russian invasion, the agricultural holding included 11 agricultural enterprises. It cultivated about 110,000 hectares in Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Odesa, and Cherkasy regions.
The holding is owned by SAS Investcompagnie (France).
Agrarians in four regions of Ukraine have started harvesting early grains and legumes and have harvested 188 thousand tons of early grains and legumes from an area of 74 thousand hectares, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reports.
The ministry noted that Odesa, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Dnipro regions harvested 151 thousand tons of barley (against 33.9 thousand tons a week earlier) from an area of 55 thousand hectares (against 33.9 thousand hectares a week earlier). hectares (13.6 thou hectares) at a yield of 27.4 c/ha, peas – 14 thou tons (0.9 thou tons) from 0.6 thou hectares (8.4 thou hectares) at a yield of 16.9 c/ha, wheat – 22 thou tons from more than 10 thou hectares at a yield of 22.3 c/ha.
Farmers in Mykolaiv and Odesa regions also started harvesting rapeseed, which they harvested 4.6 thou tons from 4.2 thou hectares at a yield of 10.9 cwt/ha.
“The harvesting season has started in Ukraine. This is the fourth harvesting season since the beginning of the full-scale war. (…) This harvest is not just bread. It is proof of the resilience, endurance and strength of our farmers. Even during the war, they work on the land to ensure that Ukraine and the world have bread,” Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval wrote on Telegram.
As reported, as of June 28, 2024, agrarians in sixteen regions of Ukraine harvested 721.4 thousand tons of grain from 209.8 thousand hectares, including 36.2 thousand tons of wheat from 36.2 thousand hectares at a yield of 31.2 c/ha, 545.7 thousand tons of barley from 145.8 thousand hectares at a yield of 37.4 c/ha, 56.3 thousand tons of peas from 25.9 thousand hectares at a yield of 21.7 c/ha.
In addition, seven regions harvested rapeseed, which amounted to 63.6 thou tons from 31.7 thou hectares.
Thus, the pace of harvesting in the 2025 season is 3.8 times lower than last year, and grain yields are significantly lower.
Continental’s elevator facilities with a capacity of 634,000 tons are being prepared to receive the 2025 grain harvest. Repair work, comprehensive cleaning, and disinfection of silos are being completed, after which the new harvest will begin to arrive at the elevators, the agricultural holding’s press service reported on Facebook.
Continental specified that the agricultural holding’s six elevators and three drying and grain complexes are located in the Ternopil, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions and process corn, wheat, rapeseed, sunflower, barley, and soybeans.
At the same time, the launch of a new sourcing business has seriously transformed the operating cycle of elevator farms. Since last season, Continental has been implementing a program to purchase grain from third-party depositors, mostly farmers, and providing storage and cleaning services. As a result, the period for accepting products at grain storage facilities has increased from the usual 5-6 months to 11 months per year, from July to May inclusive. Their work is suspended only for the planned shipment of accumulated residues and preparatory measures before the new season.
According to Serhii Zymnyi, head of the finished product storage department at Continental Farmers Group, the additional load on elevator capacities last year amounted to 15% of their own volume. Further increases in purchases are planned for this season, so this figure could reach 30-40%.
“We are forecasting an intense season with high loads, especially at our facilities in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, which, due to market conditions, are currently seeing the highest level of purchases from third-party depositors. We plan to work continuously on both receiving and shipping products by road and rail, ensuring fast service for our own grain and providing quality services to external customers,” Zimny said.
Continental added that during the year it implemented a large-scale training program for employees — laboratory assistants, engineering and technical workers, power engineers, and electricians, including specialized courses in programming and ergonomic equipment management to reduce energy consumption. This will improve the efficiency of production processes and optimize electricity consumption.
Agroholding Mriya and CFG, united under the name Continental Farmers Group, have been operating as a single business since November 2018, when Mriya signed an agreement with international investor Salic UK to sell its assets.
Salic was founded in 2012. Its sole shareholder is the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, which invests in agricultural and livestock production.
