Sunflower prices in Ukraine continue to grow rapidly, reaching new records not seen since the end of May 2021. This seriously affects the cost of sunflower oil, which also shows a significant rise in price on the domestic and export markets.

According to the information provided by the "APK-Inform" agency, the current purchase prices for sunflower at Ukrainian processing enterprises have reached UAH 22,500-24,500/ton. This level of prices significantly exceeds previous indicators, causing difficulties for enterprises engaged in the production of oil.

Analysts note that, despite some increase in the supply of oil crops, it still remains insufficient to cover the market's needs. Companies that urgently need to replenish stocks to fulfill their contracts are forced to raise purchase prices, increasing them by UAH 1,000/t compared to last week. Prices are especially actively increasing for large batches of sunflower with high oil content.

In addition to the domestic deficit, the increase in the cost of sunflower also contributes to the rise in sunflower oil prices on international markets. According to experts, export prices for Ukrainian sunflower oil rose by 20-30 USD/t last week, reaching 1020-1025 USD/t SRT-port, which is the highest indicator since the end of January 2023.

Despite this, processing enterprises faced problems of profitability. According to analysts, many companies report that sunflower processing is becoming less profitable due to high prices for raw materials. The situation may worsen if no measures are taken to stabilize the market.

The historical maximum of sunflower prices in Ukraine was recorded in March 2021, when they reached 25,500–27,400 UAH/t SRT. Despite the fact that the current price level has not yet reached this mark, the dynamics indicate a further possible increase in value.

The problem of sunflower shortage has worsened due to a significant reduction in its production compared to previous years. In September 2024, only 861,000 tons of oilseeds were processed in Ukraine, which is the lowest figure for the first month of autumn in the last decade.