European Commission forecasts three-year high sunflower seed harvest

According to the latest forecast from the European Commission, EU countries are expected to produce 9.6 million tonnes of sunflower seeds in 2026. This is around 1.2 million tonnes more than last year and would mark the highest harvest in the past three years, the German Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Crops (UFOP) reports, citing the forecast data.

The outlook is mainly driven by a roughly 5% increase in sunflower cultivation area across the EU. Significant production growth is expected in Romania, France, and Bulgaria. Romania is set to strengthen its position as the EU’s largest producer, with output projected at 2.1 million tonnes in 2026, up 18% year-on-year, supported by an expansion of planted area to 1.2 million hectares. France, now the second-largest producer in the EU, is forecast to harvest 1.9 million tonnes, up about 33% compared to last year.

Other member states, including Hungary, Bulgaria, Spain, and Greece, are also expected to see notable increases in sunflower seed production. In Germany, the European Commission forecasts output to rise by around 32,000 tonnes to 175,000 tonnes, a new record, with the cultivated area increasing to 77,000 hectares compared to 62,000 hectares last year.

Compared with the EU’s largest sunflower seed producers, Germany continues to play a relatively minor role in the sector. However, the upward revision of the forecast reflects growing farmer interest in crop diversification, the union noted.

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