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Sunflower seeds: surge in demand is followed by a lull

April 29, 2020 at 3:51 PM , Der AUDITOR
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SOFIA. Market players are watching the weather in the Bulgarian growing regions with concern. The coming days are expected to be largely free of rainfall and there might be temperatures above 30 °C over the weekend.

Sufficient soil moisture is, however, indispensable for a good development of the newly sown crops. Other parts of Europe are also too dry. For example, the water level in some Ukrainian rivers is at a historic low.

Commodity prices remain stable

Bulgarian sunflower seeds resist the general downward trend in the vegetable oil market. Stable domestic demand and increased buying interest from Turkey fix the quotations for black in-shells with a 96% purity at a level of EUR 353 per metric tonne CPT Varna.

Favourable offers from old contracts

Good customer demand and the fear of supply bottlenecks in recent weeks have ensured that many buyers have brought forward contract deliveries in order to cover their long-term requirements. However, some are now facing the problem that they have supplies in stock for which they cannot find buyers so quickly. As a result, they are postponing some of the recently requested deliveries. The market prices for bakery kernels have stabilized at a level of EUR 0.75-0.77 per kg DDP. Occasionally, Western European traders also offer prices starting at EUR 0.73 per kg DDP Germany, which are obtained through goods from favourable long-term contracts.

Sunflower kernels, Eastern Europe

Quality

EUR/mt

Hulled, bakery, Bulgaria, DDP Germany

750-770

Unhulled, 96% purity, Bulgaria, CPT Varna

353

Hulled, bakery, Ukraine, DDP Germany

750

Trade sources

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price chart, sunflower kernels, bakery, Eastern Europe
price chart, sunflower seeds, black, unhulled, Bulgaria
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price chart sunflower kernels, hulled, Eastern Europe
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price chart sunflower seeds, unhulled, black, Bulgaria

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