Turkey's Sunflower Seed Imports Surge to 44% of Global Market

September 29, 2026 · Tarım Dünyası

Amid drought and regional logistics crises, Turkey has boosted its share of global sunflower seed imports to 44.5% to maintain its role as a processing and export hub.

Sunflower, soybean, canola, and safflower are among the strategic oilseeds included in Turkey's agricultural production planning. With corn and cotton also incorporated due to their critical share in vegetable oil production, all oil crops have been brought under a protection umbrella. Approximately 70% of the country's current sunflower production is carried out under rain-fed conditions, entirely dependent on precipitation, while irrigated cultivation accounts for only 30%. Sunflower, requiring less water than corn and cotton, is becoming a primary option for farmers facing drought risks.

According to a report published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Agricultural Economics and Policy Development Institute (TEPGE), 1.9 million tons of produce were obtained from 996,000 hectares of cultivated land in the 2025/2026 season. The Turkish Statistical Institute's (TÜİK) First Estimate of Plant Production data forecasts a 16.2% increase in production for 2026, reaching 2.3 million tons. A notable difference of 500-600 thousand tons exists between sector stakeholders and official statistics. Turkey ranks 7th globally in exports during the same period, with 1.3 million tons of seeds imported in the 8-month period.

Official data indicates that Turkey's self-sufficiency rate in sunflower seeds declined to 63% in the 2024/2025 season. The country's share in global imports climbed from 30.2% in the 2024/2025 season to 44.5% in the 2025/2026 period, representing nearly half of the global trade. This massive import is not solely for domestic consumption. Turkey is a significant processing hub, importing seeds and crude oil, processing them in its own facilities, and exporting refined edible oil to neighboring regions and global markets.

A report prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates an improvement in Turkey's production outlook for the 2026/2027 season compared to the previous period. However, the report emphasizes that Black Sea cargo traffic has come to a standstill as of August 2026 due to the Russia-Ukraine war, disrupting crude oil supply. It is noted that importers will turn to purchasing sunflower seeds directly from other alternative suppliers to cover the resulting crude oil deficit. Security risks in deep-water ports in the Black Sea have fundamentally altered trade dynamics, directing the sector towards river ports and western neighbors.

According to USDA data, Turkey's sunflower planting area is expected to reach 770,000 hectares in the 2026/2027 marketing year. With the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Land Use Improvement Project, drought-resistant cultivation is expanding in the Central Anatolia, Aegean, and Southeastern Anatolia regions. In contrast, planting areas in Thrace, the traditional production center, have contracted by approximately 10% due to drought and insufficient yields. Some producers in Thrace have switched to barley and rapeseed cultivation, which offer higher profit margins, affecting regional balances.

An increase in seed harvest is expected thanks to a slight recovery in planting areas and favorable weather conditions recorded across the country. According to USDA projections, sunflower seed production will increase by 550,000 tons, reaching 1.8 million tons. Severe drought, particularly in Thrace, caused heavy harvest losses in the previous year. Domestic consumption needs for the new season are estimated to be around 3.4 million tons. This consumption volume includes direct use by the food industry as well as an annual 200,000 tons of confectionery sunflower seeds.

The USDA report forecasts that Turkey will import 1.8 million tons of sunflower seeds in the 2026/2027 season. Importing firms have already signed delivery agreements for 400,000 tons for the first three months of the season. In the first 11 months of the 2025/2026 season, 1.58 million tons of seed shipments were made. Of this import volume, 652,000 tons were sourced from Romania, 481,000 tons from Moldova, and 268,000 tons from Bulgaria. Black Sea deep port congestion has critically increased the importance of river transportation and the western corridor.

Turkey's sunflower seed exports are projected to be around 175,000 tons in the 2026/2027 marketing year. This export category consists of certified planting seeds and confectionery sunflower seeds, which have high added value, rather than industrial-grade seeds. In the previous 2025/2026 marketing year, seed exports of the same nature were recorded at 125,000 tons. USDA projections indicate that the country's sunflower seed stock at the end of the period will remain at 96,000 tons, similar to the previous season, maintaining market stability.

In parallel with the increase in domestic crushing capacity, sunflower seed oil cake production is expected to reach 1.745 million tons in the 2026/2027 season. With strong demand from the feed industry, total oil cake consumption is projected to be 2.3 million tons. Thanks to the rise in domestic seed processing, oil cake imports are calculated to decrease by 300,000 tons to 600,000 tons. In the previous 11-month period, the main suppliers for the 863,000 tons of oil cake imports were Russia with 803,000 tons, Ukraine with 24,500 tons, and Bulgaria with 20,000 tons.

Turkey's sunflower oil production is projected to increase from 1.1 million tons to 1.4 million tons in the 2026/2027 period. However, due to the year-on-year cycle in olive oil production, domestic sunflower oil consumption is estimated to decrease to 1.17 million tons.

The consumption assessment within the USDA's Turkey Oilseeds and Products Semi-Annual Report includes the following statements:

Shipping risks in the Black Sea caused retail oil prices to rise from 90 lira to 100 lira per liter during the summer period.

The USDA's Turkey Oilseeds and Products Semi-Annual Report provides the following observations on domestic market regulations and price movements:

The USDA's Turkey Oilseeds and Products Semi-Annual Report provides the following projections regarding Turkey's export performance:

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