Export prices for sunflower oil remain low.

According to Mikhail Maltsev, the head of the Fat-and-Oil Union, export prices for sunflower oil remain low, and there are no special reasons for increasing prices for sunflower seeds. Over the past month, a ton of sunflower seeds on average cost between 26,500 and 29,000 rubles (including VAT), depending on the region. Sunflower seed exports are restricted by duties, so deliveries of oilseeds for the first five months of the season amounted to 175,000 tons, of which 77% were sent to the EAEU countries. Kirill Lozovoy, an analyst at the OleoScope information and analytical agency, confirms that global prices for sunflower oil do indeed remain relatively low - ranging from $750 to $780 per ton, depending on the deal conditions in March. However, according to him, the decrease in export prices for the product has currently halted, but significant price growth is not expected. He notes that there is currently an increasing demand for rapeseed and palm oil due to the expected decrease in their production in the second half of the season. This could lead to price adjustments. However, the presence of a large supply of sunflower oil, especially in the Black Sea region, hinders price growth. Stocks of this product in Russia are quite significant, although monthly sales are generally quite active. Lozovoy believes that in the coming months, major importers may intensify purchases of sunflower oil due to the rising global prices of palm oil. This will help reduce accumulated stocks and partially eliminate discounts. Nevertheless, there are no signs of price increases for sunflower seeds, as the situation in the global market does not contribute to seed price hikes. In February, prices for oil products in some regions of Russia were decreasing, and this trend continues in the first half of March. According to the Russian Ministry of Agriculture data, our country continues to increase the export of fat-and-oil products. From the beginning of this year until March 3, exports amounted to 1.75 million tons, which is 17.9% more than in the same period in 2023. The fat-and-oil products sector is one of the leaders in Russian food exports, notes the Ministry of Agriculture. Last year, Russia exported 11.2 million tons of fat-and-oil products, which is 34.3% more than in 2022. Sunflower oil shipments amounted to 4.5 million tons (+41.9%), rapeseed oil - 1.6 million tons (+63.6%), soybean oil - 715.8 thousand tons (+10.4%). Domestic exporters last year supplied fat-and-oil products to China, Turkey, Uzbekistan, countries in the Middle East, and Africa. China is the largest importer, with its purchases growing most dynamically, especially for rapeseed oil at 1.4 million tons. High demand in the global market, increased oilseed cultivation areas in 2024, and increased production create prerequisites for further increasing fat-and-oil product exports.