Market Trends of sunflower seed (seed for sowing) Industry
There is an increased area under sunflower cultivation due to increased demand for sunflower seeds, with Europe being the major region
- Sunflower is one of the major oilseed crops cultivated all over the world. Globally, the total sunflower acreage increased by 15.6% between 2016 and 2022, with Europe being the major region with the highest cultivated acreage (23.0 million hectares), accounted for 75.5% of the global area in 2022. This is due to the favorable climatic conditions and increased demand for edible oil globally. Russia had the highest cultivated area in Europe, with 10.2 million hectares, accounting for 33.4% of the global area in 2022. The area in the country increased by 39.6% during 2016-2022. The increased area is due to high domestic demand and export potential. It is the largest country in terms of sunflower seed production globally.
- Asia-Pacific is the second-largest region, accounting for 8.4% of the world’s sunflower acreage in 2022. However, the area decreased by 10.9% between 2016 and 2022, mainly due to farmers’ shift to other crops like corn and cotton in countries like India. For instance, in India, from 2016 to 2022, 44.3% of the acreage declined. China is the major producer in the region, accounting for 37.3% of the area in Asia-Pacific. China ranks fourth in terms of global production, with 4.7% of total sunflower seed production in 2021.
- In 2022, Africa held 7.8% of the world’s sunflower acreage, which increased by 4.1% since 2016. Tanzania is the major country cultivating sunflower in the region, accounting for 44.9% of the total sunflower acreage in the region in 2022. North America and South America held 1.8% and 6.2% share of the global sunflower area in 2022, respectively. In North America, sunflower acreage decreased by 14.5% between 2016 and 2022, mainly due to the impact of drought in sunflower-growing regions.
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Prevalence of diseases, including downy mildew and Fusarium, and high demand for oil led to a surge in demand for disease resistance, high oleic and linoleic content traits
- Sunflower is one of the major oilseed crops that is widely cultivated. In the US, 10%-20% of sunflower production was used in shelled kernels, whole seeds, and nut and fruit mixes containing sunflower seed in 2017. Kernels are used in processed foods, such as granola bars and bread. The demand for seed varieties with improved traits is expected to increase during the forecast period. Moreover, high oil content (major yield attribute character), with oleic and linoleic content (based upon the need), have significant demand. The demand for sunflower oil is increasing after an increase in the prices of soybean oil and a ban on palm oil. Thus, the high oil content increases the demand for crops such as sunflower and increases the higher income returns. Products such as 65A25, P62LL109, LG 50760 CL, and Xi Arko by Corteva Agriscience, Groupe Limagrain, and Syngenta AG contain high oleic content traits.
- Disease-resistant traits are widely used by growers, and resistance to downy mildew, Fusarium, Verticillium, Sclerotinia, Plasmophora, and other diseases are very popular and widely cultivated. As these diseases cause significant yield losses during field conditions, resistant varieties avoid the diseases and increase their productivity. For instance, MG 360 and CP432E are the products that are resistant to downy mildew.
- Other traits, such as tolerance to drought, lodging, wider adaptability, early-medium maturity, tolerance to methyl herbicides, and tolerance to moisture stress, with high-yielding characteristics, are used globally. The introduction of new hybrid seed varieties by companies with higher resistance to viruses and high demand by processing industries are the factors expected to help in the growth of the sunflower seed market during the forecast period.
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OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- The growing demand for sunflower seeds is driving the demand for high-yielding varieties from hybrid breeding technology
