The high oleic sunflowerseed planted area in Ukraine is expected to halve in the 2022/23 marketing year compared to the previous season due to the ongoing conflict in the country, UkrAgroConsult reported.
In addition to the reduction in hectarage due to the Russian occupation, the 55% drop in planted area was due to uncertainty and risks leading to lower seed exports in the most productive sales months - February and March, the 2 November report said.
In the 1 September 2021-30 August 22 marketing year, the high-oleic sunflower planted area decreased by 10% compared to the previous season. However, the 2021/22 harvest increased by 6% compared to the previous year to total 1M tonnes, due to higher yields.
From January 2021, high-oleic sunflowerseed was selling at the same price as regular sunflowerseed and was being partially processed with it.
However, high-oleic sunflowerseed prices had picked up in 2021/22, UkrAgroConsult wrote.
Ukraine retained its high-oleic sunflower oil export markets in 2021/22, with sales to more than 50 countries. However, exports dropped due to the ongoing war and the subsequent blockade of ports and logistical constraints. Among key importers, purchases from European Union (EU) countries and the USA increased by 2% and 18% respectively.
