Ukraine to see 43% decline in sunflower seed production, 1.7-times decrease in sunflower seed exports in marketing year 2022-2023 - Ukroliyaprom

MOSCOW. Aug 4 (Interfax) - Ukraine is planning to harvest 9.4 million tonnes of sunflower seeds in the marketing year 2022/2023 (September to August), down 42.6% from 16.4 million tonnes produced in the previous marketing year, while such exports may drop by roughly 1.7 times from 1.7 million tonnes to 1 million tonnes, the Ukrainian media quoted Ukroliyaprom Association General Director Stepan Kapshuk as saying.

Kapshuk shared this information at a virtual conference with the theme, "The Ukrainian Oilseed Market: Optimistic or Pessimistic Outlook," on Thursday.

Thus, sunflower seed production may drop to the lowest level of the past decade in this marketing year.

The exports of oilseed crops may decrease by 10.6% in the marketing year 2022/2023, from 5.71 million tonnes in the marketing year 2021/2022 to 5.1 million tonnes now, including a 1.7-time decline in the exports of sunflower seeds to 1 million tonnes and a 4% decline in the rapeseed exports, from 2.71 million tonnes to 2.6 million tonnes, Kapshuk said. Meanwhile, the soybean exports may grow 15.3% to 1.5 million tonnes from 1.3 million tonnes in the marketing year 2021/2022.

On the whole, Ukraine is planning to harvest 14.86 million tonnes of oilseed crops in the marketing year 2022/2023, including 9.4 million tonnes of sunflower seeds, 2.87 million tonnes of rapeseeds, and 2.59 million tonnes of soybeans, he said.

In this marketing year, Ukraine is planning to process 95.7% of harvested sunflower seeds (9.0 million tonnes), 38% of soybeans (1 million tonnes), and 7% of rapeseeds (0.2 million tonnes).

According to the Ukroliyaprom Association general director, Ukraine will produce 4.0 million tonnes of sunflower oil in the marketing year 2022/2023, while 4.2 million tonnes will be exported, including products from last year's reserves. This is less than 5.2 million tonnes of manufactured oil and 4.3 million tonnes of exported oil in the marketing year 2021/2022, and is comparable with the readings of the marketing year 2013/2014, when 4.6 million tonnes of sunflower oil were produced, and 4.19 million tonnes were exported.