Prolonged rains in Ukraine are delaying the harvest and causing a rise in sunflower prices.

The decline in sunflower oil quotations with delivery in November–December and the increase in seed supply are putting pressure on the domestic market, however, the weather factor is currently supporting sunflower prices in Ukraine. For the second consecutive week, significant rainfall in the western and northern regions has halted field work, leading to a deterioration in crop quality and the risk of a loss in yield. As of October 2, only 58.7% of sunflower areas in Ukraine have been harvested—5.5 million tons with an average yield of 1.83 t/ha, whereas last year by this date, 8 million tons (79% of areas) had been harvested with a yield of 2.05 t/ha. Due to excess moisture in the western part of the country, there is an increase in the acid number of sunflower harvested after rains—up to 4–8%, which is prompting processors to actively buy up already harvested batches. In a week, sunflower demand prices in Ukraine have risen by 500–1000 UAH/t, to 27,500–28,000 UAH/t or 580–600 ...