Sunflower prices in Russia's European part surged by 14% in November due to diminished expectations for the new crop, driven by slow harvesting rates caused by a rainy autumn. This comes after a significant price drop from March to November due to high sunflower stocks and a stronger ruble. SovEcon has lowered its new sunflower crop forecast by 0.9 million tons to 16.1 million tons, with only 75% of areas harvested by early December, compared to the usual 90-95%. Experts anticipate a protracted harvest and high losses, leading to further price increases in the short term.