# Sunflower: Extraction

How an American flower conquered the Russian steppe

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/extraction/

What this tab covers How it is mined, drilled or grown, and processed into a tradeable form: the main methods compared, their unit economics, by-products, and the companies that do this work globally and in India.

Sunflowers are native to North America but became a field crop in Russia. They grow best on the black-earth steppe of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, and on the Argentine pampas. Deep roots let them cope with dry summers. Farmers sow in spring and harvest the seed heads in early autumn. Oilseed varieties are crushed to give oil and a protein meal for livestock. Confectionery varieties have larger seeds, sold for snacks and birdseed. Most crushing happens close to the farm, and the oil is exported.

Sunflower is a summer annual grown on the black-earth steppe of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, in the Danube basin, in Argentina and on smaller areas elsewhere, including India. It tolerates dry summers better than maize. The main split is between large mechanised farms in the Black Sea region and Argentina and smaller, lower-yield farms elsewhere. Seed is crushed in large export-oriented plants close to ports, and crude oil is shipped to importers who refine it. The Black Sea region grew more than half of world output in 2024, so weather and war there set the world price.

#### Methods compared

| Method | Share of supply | Typical scale | Recovery / efficiency | By-products | Unit cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Large mechanised farms (Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Argentina)** | Russia 32.9%, Ukraine 21.0%, Argentina 7.5% and Kazakhstan 3.5% of world output in 2024 (FAOSTAT) | Russia harvested 9.85 million ha and Ukraine 5.03 million ha in 2024 (FAOSTAT) | Yields 2024: Ukraine 2.18 t/ha, Argentina 2.11 t/ha, Russia 1.75 t/ha, world 1.82 t/ha (FAOSTAT) | stalks; husks burned for steam at crushing plants | n/a |
| **Intensive EU and other smaller producers (Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, France, Turkey, China)** | China 4.5% and Turkey 4.2% of world output in 2024 (FAOSTAT); EU 8.6 Mt in 2025/26 (USDA) | n/a | n/a | as above | n/a |
| **Smallholder sunflower in India (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra)** | India 0.27 Mt in 2025-26 (3rd advance estimate), about 0.5% of world output | 158 thousand ha in 2024 (FAOSTAT) | 1.12 t/ha in 2024 (FAOSTAT) | meal, stalks | MSP Rs 8,343/quintal in 2026-27, up Rs 622 (Cabinet decision, 13 May 2026); cost of cultivation not found in sources used |
| **Crushing and refining** | about 91% of seed is crushed (USDA PSD 2025/26) | world oil output 21.1 Mt and meal 22.3 Mt in 2025/26 (USDA PSD) | oil yield 42.2% world average (21.1 Mt from 50.05 Mt crush, derived); USDA uses 38% for India's small crush | meal, hulls (fuel pellets), waxes | n/a |

#### How each method works
**Large mechanised farms (Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Argentina)**

Agroholdings and large farms plant hybrid seed over tens of thousands of hectares, often with no-till or reduced tillage, and harvest by combine in September and October. Seed goes by truck and rail to company or third-party crushing plants near ports. Growers in Russia and Ukraine face export duties on seed, so almost all of it is crushed at home.

Low cost and huge export surplus, but exposed to drought (Ukraine's 2025 crop was a record-low 10.8 Mt, APK-Inform via Reuters) and to war and export-duty policy.
 FAOSTAT 2024; APK-Inform via Reuters/ESM Magazine, 10 March 2026 **Intensive EU and other smaller producers (Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, France, Turkey, China)**

Medium-sized farms in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and France grow conventional and high-oleic hybrids, often under contract with crushers that pay premiums for oil content and oleic level. Turkey grows sunflower in Thrace and imports seed to keep its crushers busy. China grows mostly large confectionery types for roasted snack seeds rather than oil.

Premium high-oleic and confectionery markets, but higher costs than the Black Sea.
 FAOSTAT 2024; USDA PSD **Smallholder sunflower in India (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra)**

Grown in kharif and rabi on small rain-fed or lightly irrigated plots. Area has fallen for two decades because yields are low and returns weaker than for maize or pulses. The 2026-27 MSP rise was the largest of any kharif crop.

Short-duration and drought-tolerant, but pest damage, poor seed and weak procurement have kept area small.
 Ministry of Agriculture 3rd AE 2025-26; FAOSTAT 2024; DT Next/PTI, 13 May 2026 **Crushing and refining**

Seed is partly dehulled, pressed and then solvent-extracted to give crude oil and meal. Crude oil is degummed, neutralised, bleached, dewaxed (sunflower oil contains waxes that cloud it in the cold) and deodorised. Refining is done either at origin, for bottled exports, or at the importer's port refinery, as in India.

Crushing at origin captures value, but makes oil supply dependent on a few Black Sea ports.
 USDA PSD, October 2026 Unit economics are indicative ranges from the sources named; costs vary widely by deposit, region and year.

#### Who does it: global

| Company | Country | Activity | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Kernel Holding** Volume not found in sources checked | Ukraine | sunflower crushing and oil exports | not published | FY2025 | not available |
| **Bunge (incl. Viterra)** Sunflower volume not published separately | US/Switzerland | crushing in Ukraine, the EU and Argentina; trading | 54.2 Mt oilseeds processed, all oilseeds | 2025 | [Bunge Q4 and full-year 2025 earnings release](https://investors.bunge.com/~/media/Files/B/Bunge-IR/documents/financial-information/press-releases/q4-2025-earnings-release.pdf) |
| **Cargill** Private company; volumes not published | US | crushing and trading in the Black Sea region and Argentina | not published | 2025 | not available |
| **Louis Dreyfus Company** Sunflower volume not published separately | Netherlands | crushing in Ukraine and Argentina; trading | not published | 2025 | not available |
| **EFKO and Yug Rusi** Volumes not found in sources checked | Russia | large Russian crushers and oil exporters | not published | 2025 | not available |
| **Wilmar International** Sunflower volume not published separately | Singapore | refining and trading of soft oils | 30 Mt oilseeds and grains sales volume, all crops | 2025 | [Wilmar FY2025 results briefing presentation](https://links.sgx.com/1.0.0/corporate-announcements/PYS9LAOYNCGL6401/876240_Wilmar%20FY2025%20Financial%20Results%20Briefing%20Presentation.pdf) |

#### Who does it: India

| Company | Country | Activity | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **AWL Agri Business (Fortune sunflower oil)** Sunflower oil volume not published separately | India | importer, refiner and packer | 2.98 Mt edible oil sold, all oils, 9 months | 9M FY2025 | [AWL investor presentation, January 2025](https://nsearchives.nseindia.com/corporate/AWL_27012025151051_Investor_Presentation_SE.pdf) |
| **Cargill India** Private company; volumes not published | India | importer, refiner and packer | not published | 2025 | not available |
| **Indian sunflower farmers (aggregate)** | India | production | 0.27 Mt seed (2.70 lakh t) | 2025-26 (3rd advance estimate) | [Ministry of Agriculture, time series 3rd AE 2025-26](https://desagri.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Time-Series-3rd-AE-2025-26-English.pdf) |

India is the world's largest sunflower oil importer (22.3% of import value in 2024) and depends on Russia, Ukraine and Argentina; domestic seed output is only about 0.27 Mt. Imports are refined by the same port refiners that handle palm and soybean oil.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/correlation/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/production/index.md)
- [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/stocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sunflower/links/index.md)