22 April 2016
According to the forecasts of Oil World analysts (Germany), the sunflower sowing area is expected to increase significantly worldwide in 2016/17 up to 25.64 million hectares against 24.61 million hectares of the previous season.
The main area expansion for the sowing of oil-bearing crops will be in Russia (up to 6.9 (6.53) million hectares) and in Ukraine (up to 5.75 (5.3) million hectares), which is due to the reduction of winter crops. In addition, the relatively low cost of production of sunflower, as well as a strong demand for the products of processors will also help increase the sowing areas of this crop.
EU farmers will also expand the area of oilseed sowing; however, this growth will be limited due to the expansion of winter crops. For example, a significant growth of this indicator is expected in Hungary due to the reduction of corn crops. Romanian farmers are planning to cultivate a smaller area than last year while their colleagues in France and Bulgaria will not change the sowing area in their countries as compared to last year’s values.
Furthermore, in the current year sunflower sowing will be accentualized by Argentina thanks to the liberalization of its agriculture complex and to the devaluation of its national currency; the crop area will increase by 0.25 million hectares and will constitute 1.5 million hectares. Some analysts believe, however, that the abolition of taxes on exports of sunflower and its by-products may cause the oilseed crop area in Argentina to increase to 1.6-1.8 million hectares.
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