Bulgaria: The 2022/23 sunflower season promises to be cost-effective

In the previous season of 2021/22 Bulgarian sunflower harvest was almost 2 M mt being the second record due to expaneded areas and also the second record yield.

The increase in crusing goes together with a decrease in sunflower exports by 11% compared to by 2020/21 MY. SFS imports aldo increased to a record level (+54% vs. 2021/21 MY). Reorientation to the domestic sunflower crushing, which exceeded even the harvest, continued in the 2022/23 season.

Key suppliers of sunflower to Bulgaria increased their shipments, Ukraine was the biggest one, under the military actions pressure and its market reshaping to the SFS exports.

EU countries are the main sunflower exports destination of Bulgarian SFS (66% of all shipments). China is among the top importers.

The export of sunflower oil increased to new record (+39% compared with previous 2020/21 MY). EU share was 65% of all sunseed oil exports, 16% goes to South Africa. India and Iraq were among the TOP importers. This indorses the role of Bulgaria in filling the gap after decrease in supplies from Ukraine.

The 2022 record sunflower harvest (more than 2 M mt) may increase sunflower and sunflower oil exports from Bulgaria. High sunflower imports are expected, the imports from Ukraine is seen at level of 1 M mt.