Rapeseed prices in Ukraine continue to be under pressure due to low import demand from the European Union. An additional factor of pressure on the market is the increase in rapeseed sowing areas in the EU, which may reduce prices for Ukrainian products in the second half of the 2025/26 season, the Ukrainian Electronic Grain Exchange reports.

In the current season, the expected rapeseed harvest in the European Union is estimated at 19-20 million tons, which is holding back purchases of Ukrainian products. In the first four months of the 2025/26 season, there was a sharp decrease in rapeseed imports to the EU. Favorable sowing conditions allowed European farmers to increase the area under winter rapeseed, which increases production forecasts for next year.

According to the European Commission, in the first four months of the season, the EU reduced its imports of rapeseed and canola by 47% compared to the same period in 2024/25 MY — to 1.26 million tons. The main reason was the decrease in oilseed supplies from Ukraine and Australia, which was partially offset by an increase in supplies from Moldova. In addition, cheap canola is expected to arrive from Canada in December-January and additional supplies from Australia.

In Ukraine, against the backdrop of low demand, limited sales of rapeseed for export are observed. Traders were able to increase export prices by UAH 200–400/t in a week, to the level of UAH 23,500–24,400/t ($545–555/t) with delivery to Black Sea ports. At the same time, the increase in shipping costs limits supplies, and due to the complex mechanism for export clearance, new vessels are not planned in the coming months.

Demand among domestic processors has also decreased, as most enterprises have switched to purchasing sunflower. Today, only a few companies are buying rapeseed at a price of UAH 23,000–24,000/t delivered to the plant, depending on the oil content. Winter rapeseed in Ukraine has been sown on an area of ​​1.08 million hectares, which is less than the planned figure and last year's result due to dry conditions in August–September. Farmers are likely to hold back sales until spring, expecting overwintering of crops and a potential increase in prices.

A 10% export duty has been introduced on rapeseed and soybeans from September 4, 2025. Farmers must receive an export certificate of origin from the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry or regional CCIs for each batch to avoid paying the duty.

The rapeseed processing season for the 2025 harvest began in July. In July-August, about 60 thousand tons of rapeseed were processed into oil, which allowed producing and exporting 25 thousand tons of rapeseed oil. In September, under the conditions of the export duty, processing increased to a record monthly volume of 250 thousand tons, which became the highest indicator in all years.

The rapeseed market is under double pressure: the increase in supply in the EU and administrative barriers in Ukraine continue to affect prices, and experts predict that secondary pressure on the market will persist in the second half of the 2025/26 season.