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Sunflower seeds: Korea is fighting for exporters

March 31, 2017 at 11:15 AM , Der AUDITOR
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SOFIA. Sowing is in full swing in Bulgaria and Korea is becoming a hot market for exporters.

 There were, however, slight sowing delays in the south of Bulgaria. Here, the farmers usually start to cultivate the fields at an earlier date.

New opportunities in Korea

In addition to sesame seeds, Korean companies are now also looking for sunflower seeds from foreign markets. The first Bulgarian suppliers have already been granted licenses to export sunflower seeds to Korea without any extra fees. Sales have also already been made at a price of 940-980 USD/mt CFR Busan. A price increase can therefore still not be ruled out, even if 700,000 mt of the 2016 crop are still available on the market. 

Price drops are possible

A lack of demand for exports and low purchase interest from the domestic market are keeping the prices for black in shells, 96% purity, at the same level as last week. If the farmers' and traders' resistance continues to break, the prices could drop further, but they are still refusing to sell the raw seeds below the current level. At the same time, the lower availability during the summer months (dwindling supply, closed processing plants) could maintain the prices at the current level.

Bakery grade shelled sunflower seeds from Bulgaria maintain their level at 0.73 EUR/kg DDP Germany, whereas Moldavian sunflower seed suppliers have raised their prices. Many of them are working to capacity, and therefore do not depend on rapid sales for the time being.

Sunflower seeds, Eastern Europe

Type

EUR/kg

Bakery, DDP Germany

0.730

Black, in-shell, CPT Varna

0.333

Oil seed, Budapest Stock Exchange

0.345

Current expectations

Coceral has published its final production figures for the 2016 crop and the first estimates for 2017. While a lower yield should result in a smaller crop in Hungary, an expansion of the cultivated area in Romania and Bulgaria is expected, and the yield should be about the same as last year. 

EU sunflower seed production in mt

Country

2016

2017*

Hungary

1,874,000

1,704,000

Romania

1,800,000

1,935,000

Bulgaria

1,710,000

1,760,000

*Prediction by Coceral

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