Aided by attractive prices early this year, sunflower oil will account for 12 percent of the world’s food use of vegetable oils, its highest share ever, said a USDA circular on Thursday. “The shift towards sunflower is driven by demand for higher-quality oils as global incomes rise, resulting in consistent production growth, particularly in Ukraine and Russia,” said the Oilseeds: World Markets and Trade report.
Sunflower oil production has grown by an average of 7 percent a year since 2011, faster than other oils. Production is forecast at 21.5 million tonnes in 2020/21, with world production of oilseeds overall nearing 209 million tonnes. Olive oil would supply 75.6 million tonnes, more than one-third of the total. Soybean oil is second, at 58.7 million tonnes, and rapeseed oil is third, at 27.4 million tonnes.
Ukraine and Russia are the two largest producers of sunflower oil. Production in Ukraine is forecast at 7.2 million tonnes and in Russia at 5.8 million tonnes in 2020/21, said the USDA.
The United States is a minor sunflower grower. The National Sunflower Association estimated sunflower oil production of 199,000 tonnes in 2019/20.