Market Trends of Sunflower Meal Industry
Growing Sunflower Production and Import
Sunflower cultivation is experiencing significant growth worldwide, driven by increasing demand for various sunflower products, including sunflower meal. Sunflower’s resilience to diverse climatic conditions and high yields make it a preferred crop for farmers across Europe, North America, and parts of Asia.
Governments are actively promoting sunflower production. In India, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has initiated a project on "Revival of sunflower cultivation." Sanctioned by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, this three-year project (2022-23 to 2024-25) aims to expand cultivation area, improve productivity and profitability, and enhance capacity building in India's sunflower sector.
In Tanzania, the President directed officials in the northwestern Kagera region to allocate between 70,000 and 100,000 hectares for large-scale sunflower cultivation in June 2022. Russia and Ukraine lead global production, accounting for over 50% of sunflower seed output, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This dominance solidifies their position as leading exporters in the global supply chain. In the Asia-Pacific region, China, Turkey, and Kazakhstan are the top producers, with outputs of 2.93, 2.55, and 1.30 million metric tons respectively in 2022, according to FAOSTATS data.
The increasing import of sunflower seeds is a significant trend driven by rising global demand for sunflower meal. Countries with limited domestic production are increasingly relying on imports to meet their consumption needs. In 2023, Turkey, the Netherlands, and Hungary were the major importers of sunflower seeds, importing 745.9, 648.4, and 357.5 thousand metric tons respectively, according to ITC Trade Map. Also, Netherlands saw a 1.9% increase in sunflower seed imports from 2022 to 2023, as per the data of the ITC Trade Map.
The growing global cultivation and import of sunflower seeds are shaping the sunflower meal market as a critical component of the animal feed sector. This trend is anticipated to drive market growth in the forecast period.
Europe Dominates the Sunflower Meal Market
Europe stands as a major producer and consumer of sunflower meal, with the product widely used in the livestock industry as a protein source for animal feed, particularly for poultry, pigs, and cattle. Its nutritional value and cost-effectiveness compared to other protein sources make it a crucial ingredient in animal diets. The increasing meat consumption and livestock production in Europe have driven up the demand for sunflower meal. For example, the European Commission reported that per capita poultry meat consumption in Europe rose from 23.4 kilograms in 2022 to 23.7 kilograms in 2023, supporting the feed industry and contributing to market growth.
European countries such as Ukraine, Russia, France, Romania, and Bulgaria are among the leading sunflower meal producers in the region. These nations benefit from favorable climates for sunflower cultivation and well-established agricultural sectors, significantly contributing to the production and export of sunflower meal within Europe and to international markets. The USDA reported that sunflower seed production in the European Union increased from 9.39 million metric tons in 2022-2023 to 10.13 million metric tons in 2023-2024, attributed to favorable climatic conditions.
Europe's sunflower seed meal export volumes are increasing annually. According to the ITC Trade Map, Russia's sunflower meal exports grew from 1.59 million metric tons in 2022 to 1.64 million metric tons in 2023. Similarly, according to ITC Trade Map data, Ukraine's export quantity rose from 3.28 million metric tons in 2022 to 3.92 million metric tons in 2023. This export growth reinforces Europe's position as a leading region in the sunflower meal market. Additionally, the increased production in the region is supporting parallel growth in sunflower meal consumption. The US Department of Agriculture reported that sunflower seed meal consumption in Russia increased from 3.9 million metric tons in 2022 to 4.1 million metric tons in 2023. The high production, export volumes, and demand for sunflower meal in European countries are driving consumption, thus supporting market growth during the forecast period.
