Record sunflower harvest in Bulgaria weakens the position of Ukrainian oil in the EU

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. This is reported by analysts of the electronic grain exchange GrainTrade, writes Agrotimes. Experts predict that the sunflower harvest will reach 1.8-2 million tons (1.4-1.5 million tons in 2024), even despite some 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 ...