- Sunflower seed markets softened during Q2 2026 as improving global production prospects and better availability reduced earlier supply concerns.
- Higher seed output in major producing countries eased feedstock tightness, although Black Sea disruptions continued to create uncertainty around regional availability.
- Crushing demand remained steady, but stronger seed supply and competition from alternative oilseeds limited sustained upward price pressure.
In Europe, particularly in Spain, sunflower seed was assessed at an average of 594 USD/MT (FOB) in June'26, while in Asia (China), the average price was near 687 USD/MT (CIF). In the global markets, the crude sunflower oil price trend witnessed mixed trend during the second quarter of 2026. The cost pressures related to crude sunflower oil remained high at the beginning of the quarter because of tight supplies; however, better production prospects for sunflower seeds brought down those pressures. USDA increased global crush for 2025/26 by 0.5 million MT to 49.6 million MT, supporting higher oil availability. Furthermore, USDA increased its sunflower seed production forecast to 17.5 million MT for Russia and crush forecast to a record 16.7 million MT. Argentina also supported global availability with sunflower oil exports projected at 1.8 million MT. Meanwhile, Indian sunflower seed prices ended the quarter at an average of 706 USD/MT (CIF) in June. India remained a key demand market as the country imports around 60% of its edible oil requirements. However, competition from palm and soybean oil limited stronger buying interest when sunflower oil premiums increased. Ukraine remained a supply risk due to ongoing export and crushing constraints.