Ukraine increases sunflower oil exports 18% in Sept-Dec, including threefold increase to China

MOSCOW. Jan 24 (Interfax) - Over the first four months of the 2023-2024 agricultural year (September-August), Ukraine exported about 120,000 tonnes of high-oleic sunflower oil, which is 18% more than in the previous agricultural year, Ukrainian media reported, referencing statistics from the APK-Inform analytical agency.

The analysts said that this volume is still below the average export figure for the same period in previous seasons.

"The increase was mainly due to China, to whom just over 21,000 tonnes were shipped in September-December of the current season, almost three times more than the previous year," the agency said.

The analysts said that, at the end of the 2022-2023 agricultural year, China became the leading importer of Ukrainian high-oleic sunflower oil, displacing Spain, and is still in first place this season.

The second and third places in the ranking of importers are Spain and Romania, who imported 20,000 tonnes each. However, while exports to Spain increased 22%, they rose 2.6-fold to Romania.

Exports of high-oleic oil to the European Union decreased 13% over the four-month period, APK-Inform said.