Ukraine processed about 861 thsd tonnes of sunflower in the first month of the new processing season-2024-2025, the lowest volume for September since 2014-2015 marketing year, APK-Inform news agency reported.
“This figure is almost at the level of the last year’s September volumes (-1%), however, the difference is that at the beginning of the season-2023/24 Ukrainian companies faced the difficulties in exporting due to the shutdown of Odesa ports, which restrained the more active increase of processing, while in the current season the main problem is the formation of the raw material base,” the analysts explained.
Experts noted that most farmers are not in a hurry to sell their products due to expectations of lower sunflower harvest in 2024. As a result, during September, the purchase prices for the oilseed increased and in early October reached the highest level since February 2022 – 22 thsdn/MT – 23.8 thsdn/MT.
At the same time, the price increase did not help to accelerate the sales of sunflower by farmers – the excitement created by the processors provoked the oilseed owners to slow down the sales in anticipation of new price records. At the same time, the increase in prices for raw materials is supported by the growth of prices on the export market of sunflower oil.
APK-Inform predicts that in 2024-2025 marketing year Ukraine can process the minimum amount of sunflower for the last three seasons – about 13-13.4 mln tonnes, which will be 11% lower than a year earlier.
