Ukrainian Factories Halt Sunflower Purchases Due to Export Blockade

Ukrainian processing plants have nearly stopped purchasing sunflowers. The reasons include the blockade of maritime exports and a shift to processing rapeseed. The decrease in rapeseed prices to 20,000-21,000 UAH/ton increases the profitability of its processing, leading to active operations of factories with this crop. Small oil extraction plants continue to process sunflowers for the domestic market. All factories in southern Ukraine have halted the processing of sunflowers and rapeseed due to shelling and the cessation of exports. Purchase prices for sunflowers have dropped by 4,000-5,000 UAH/ton to 27,000-29,000 UAH/ton delivered to the factory. Processors have begun to declare prices for the new sunflower harvest at the level of 20,000-22,000 UAH/ton. Export prices for sunflower oil remain at 1,320-1,335 dollars per ton. Analysts note that favorable weather improves harvest potential, but a decrease in prices for the new harvest is expected due to increased supply pressure.