The sunflower crop in the EU will be below average for the second consecutive year, which will support prices.

According to estimates by the European Commission, in 2025, the EU countries are expected to produce around 8.5 million tons of sunflower seeds, which is 3% more than in the unsuccessful 2024 year. The growth in yield partially compensated for the slight reduction in sown areas, but this is still the third lowest harvest in the last 10 years. The average yield is forecast at 18.0 tons per hectare, which is significantly lower than the long-term average of 20.1 tons per hectare. In 2024, it was 17.4 tons per hectare. Areas under sunflower in the EU decreased by approximately 0.5% to less than 4.8 million hectares. Romania and Hungary remain the largest producers. In Germany, sunflower sowings in 2025 have increased again for the first time after two years of reduction, according to the Agricultural Market Information Company (mbH). The area under cultivation is 61 thousand hectares, significantly exceeding the figures recorded before the full-scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine. ...