Russian Sunflower Purchase Prices Fall to 26,585 Rubles a Tonne

Prices lose almost half their January value

Average producer purchase prices for sunflower seed in Russia fell to 26,585 rubles per tonne by September 12, extending a decline that accelerated as the new harvest approached. According to ZOL.ru, the market began 2026 at 48,500 rubles per tonne excluding value-added tax, supported by residual shortages from the previous season and high global prices.

Prices stabilized at 47,800–48,200 rubles per tonne in February and March. They then briefly rose to 49,100 rubles in April and May as the market anticipated higher export duties on sunflower seed and a resulting contraction in raw-seed exports.

The sustained decline began in June. ZOL.ru described 46,050 rubles per tonne at the end of July as a local peak before a much steeper correction. The monthly average dropped to 38,500 rubles in August, down 16.4% from the previous month, and then to 26,585 rubles by September 12, a further decline of 31.0%.

Export duty redirects seed to domestic crushers

A Russian government measure set the sunflower seed export duty at 50%, with a minimum payment of 32,000 rubles per tonne. ZOL.ru said the measure effectively blocked exports of the raw commodity and redirected the country’s production to the domestic market.

The supply increase encountered crushing capacity that was already overloaded. Processing margins consequently fell below zero, prompting plants to reduce purchases, adopt toll-processing arrangements or operate only when commercial conditions allowed. The decline in bids therefore reflects not only harvest-season supply but also processors’ limited ability to absorb seed profitably.

The duty changes the balance of bargaining power across the chain. Growers face fewer alternatives to domestic crushers, while processors can lower bids because direct exports are largely uneconomic. Yet crushers are not necessarily the main beneficiaries: negative processing margins show that cheaper seed alone has not resolved the pressure facing plants.

Large stocks threaten prolonged pressure

Carryover inventories at the end of the season are forecast to exceed 5 million tonnes, according to ZOL.ru. That volume is expected to maintain downward pressure on sunflower prices during the fourth quarter of 2026, particularly if plants continue to restrict purchases or rely on tolling schemes.

For growers, the fall from 48,500 rubles in January to 26,585 rubles by September 12 sharply reduces revenue per tonne and may affect storage and future planting decisions. Producers able to hold seed may delay sales, but inventories above 5 million tonnes would make a rapid recovery harder. Crushers must balance lower raw-material costs against weak processing economics and congested capacity. Traders, meanwhile, have less room to redirect supplies abroad while the 50% duty and its 32,000-ruble minimum remain in force.