Bulgaria may harvest a record sunflower crop this year

In 2025, the area of sunflower sowing in Bulgaria increased by 67% compared to the previous year to 985 thousand hectares, which, against the backdrop of favorable weather conditions, allows for hopes of obtaining a historically large sunflower harvest, although some farmers have more pessimistic assessments. Experts predict that the sunflower harvest will reach 1.8-2 million tons (1.4-1.5 million tons in 2024), even despite isolated cases of crop damage due to heat. At the same time, some farmers estimate the harvest at 1.2-1.3 million tons. However, analysts consider such statements exaggerated and motivated by the expectation of compensation from the state. Local processors have already adapted to unstable market conditions and have started processing various types of oilseeds, including soybeans and rapeseed, and even imported canola from Canada to meet their needs. Sunflower prices in Bulgaria are lower than in Ukraine, so processors offer cheaper oil on the EU market, and ...