Russia: another increase in the sunflower seed crop forecast – is this the ceiling?

For Russia, as well as for other Black Sea countries, the 2018/19 season was the most successful in the sunflower seed segment, which showed new highs, reports UkrAgroConsult.

2018/19 results:

– a record crop of 12.7 MMT as yield rose to the highest ever level (+10.3% from MY 2017/18) and acreage expanded (+1.5%);

- sunflower seed exports reached a near-record 353.6 KMT (the highest ever volume – 368.5 KMT – was shipped abroad in MY 2016/17);

- domestic crush and oil production in MY 2018/19 reached a record high of some 5 MMT (+9% from MY 2017/18);

- sunflower oil exports hit a record high (+14.5% from MY 2017/18);

- sunflower meal exports increased (+26% from MY 2017/18), the product’s exports failed to reach their record point due to growth in domestic use of sunflower meal;

2019/20 outlook:

The real-time data on sunflower harvest as of November 14, 2019 are as follows:

- farmers had harvested 8 Ml ha (+8% year-on-year), i.e. this work was some 94% complete;

- the crop was at 14.8 MMT (+25% year-on-year);

- yield was at 1.85 MT/ha (+16% year-on-year).

Taking the current situation into account, UkrAgroConsult raises its estimate for the sunflower seed crop in Russia due to an acreage increase and a predicted record yield.