Black Sea tensions support Romanian sunseed prices

Black Sea tensions and EU crushers demand are strengthening support to Romanian sunflower seed (SFS) prices ahead of the new harvest. As uncertainty of Black Sea exports continues, large crushers shifted their focus toward buying raw oilseed of the EU origin, and Romania is the largest SFS producer.

According to the July MARS report, limited rainfall and above-average temperatures negatively affected biomass accumulation during flowering and early seed filling, particularly across western and parts of southern Romania. Although MARS lowered SFS yield forecast, production is still expected to remain above the five-year average.

Romanian SFS prices remained remarkably stable in July compared with rapeseed and grain markets.

The prices follow renewed volatility in global crude oil after military escalation in the Middle East. However, the impact on European SFS prices remains limited, as sunflower oil (SFO) is much smaller use by the EU biodiesel industry than rapeseed oil (RSO).

The market remains well supported by fundamental factors.