Over the past 25 years, Ukraine has increased its total oilseed processing capacity by 9.2 times, from 2.6 million tons to 24 million tons, and significantly increased the production of raw materials, said Stepan Kapshuk, CEO of the Ukroliyaprom Association, at the XXI International Conference Fat&Oil Industry-2023.
As reported on the website of the Agrarian and Industrial Reforms, citing Kapshuk, Ukraine’s sunflower processing capacity is currently about 18 million tons, and rapeseed and soybean – 2 million tons.
Sunflower production has increased from 2.26 million tons in 1998 to a projected 14 million tons in 2023. This year’s rapeseed production is expected to reach 4.1 million tons against 0.13 million tons in 2000, and soybeans – 4.7 million tons against 0.06 million tons, respectively.
Mr. Kapshuk said that over the past 25 years, 70 new processing plants have been built in Ukraine, including 40 large ones, as well as 16 vegetable oil transshipment terminals. The industry has attracted investments worth more than $4 billion.
In 2023/2024 marketing year, Ukrainian oilseed processing companies will be able to process 15.6 mln tons of oilseeds, including 13.5 mln tons of sunflower, 1.5 mln tons of soybeans and 600 thsd tonnes of rapeseed. At the same time, sunflower oil production is expected to reach 6 million tons, soybean oil – 0.3 million tons, and rapeseed oil – 0.25 million tons, according to Ukroliyaprom.
