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Mustard seeds: market is stagnating

May 14, 2025 at 9:40 AM , Der AUDITOR
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OTTAWA. Prices for Canadian mustard seeds are uncharacteristically stable for this time of year. The cultivation forecast remains unchanged, resulting in a drastic decline in production.

Moderate demand

The Canadian cultivation forecast for the 2025/2026 mustard seed crop has been drastically revised downwards. Market experts had hoped that growers would still sow larger areas despite these estimates. However, there is currently no evidence of this. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimates the acreage at 117,000 hectares in the current report, which would be just half of what was sown last year. The other parameters also remain unchanged from the previous report. Canadian mustard seed production this year is estimated at 85,000 mt and, together with the carry-over stocks from the current season, a total of 249,000 mt of mustard seeds will be available for the 2025/2026 season.

Prices on the Canadian mustard seed market usually decline towards the end of the season. However, despite the rather moderate demand, the current crop forecasts do not allow prices to fall. Instead, they have remained unchanged in recent weeks and are expected to hold the current level of around CAD 0.45/lb ex-farm for golden mustard seeds for the time being.

Mustard seeds, Canada

2023/24

2024/25

Diff.

2024/25

2025/26

Diff.

Area sown (ha)

258,000

245,000

-5.0%

245,000

117,000

-52.2%

Area harvested (ha)

251,000

243,000

-3.2%

243,000

115,000

-52.7%

Yield (mt/ha)

0.68

0.79

16.2%

0.79

0.74

-6.3%

Production (mt)

171,000

192,000

12.3%

192,000

85,000

-55.7%

Imports (mt)

16,000

9,000

-43.8%

9,000

9,000

0.0%

Total supplies (mt)

226,000

290,000

28.3%

290,000

249,000

-14.1%

Exports (mt)

96,000

95,000

-1.0%

95,000

95,000

0.0%

Domestic consumption (mt)

42,000

40,000

-4.8%

40,000

39,000

-2.5%

Carry-over stocks (mt)

88,000

155,000

76.1%

155,000

115,000

-25.8%

Avg price in CAD/mt

1,280

850

-33.6%

850

815

-4.1%

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

EU imports decline

Since the beginning of the 2024/2025 season (01/07/2024-04/05/2025), a total of 64,133 mt of mustard seeds worth EUR 46.781 million have been imported into the EU from third countries, meaning that the import volume has fallen by 24.1% year-on-year and the import value has even declined by 37.4%. This is partly due to the fact that imports from Russia (-72.7% to 12,588 mt) have fallen significantly, but shipments from Canada have also shrunk by 5.2% to 18,686 mt. In contrast, however, imports from countries such as Ukraine (+48.6% to 22,242 mt), Kazakhstan (+219.7% to 8,294 mt) and Moldova (+697.4% to 1,818 mt) have risen massively.

The most important buyer countries within the EU, such as Germany (-29.2% to 21,770 mt), Poland (-43.6% to 15,720 mt) and Belgium (-32.4% to 9,820 mt), all significantly reduced their imports. In contrast, the Netherlands increased its imports by 139.2% to 6,340 mt.

According to market players, prices for mustard seeds, Sinapis Alba, 99.95% purity of Ukrainian origin, have recently been quoted slightly lower and are currently at a level of EUR 750/mt DDP Germany.

EU mustard seed imports, in mt

Partner

2023/24

2024/25

Diff.

Ukraine

14,969

22,242

48.6%

Canada

19,717

18,688

-5.2%

Russia

46,189

12,588

-72.7%

Kazakhstan

2,594

8,294

219.7%

Moldova

228

1,818

697.4%

India

334

241

-27.8%

Belarus

154

176

14.3%

Others

314

86

-72.6%

Total

84,499

64,133

-24.1%

DG AGRI TAXUD Customs Surveillance System, 01/07-04/05

12075090 Mustard seeds, whether or not broken (excl. for sowing)

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