Ukrainian Sunflower Prices Rise $20 as Western Oilseed Premiums Widen
Ukrainian sunflower prices rose by $20 to $460 a tonne CPT plant, including VAT, as domestic crushers competed for limited seed supplies. Rapeseed and soybean prices strengthened at the western border while weakening or declining at plants and ports.
Sunflower gains on the domestic crushing route
Ukrainian sunflower prices increased by $20 over the week, rising from $440 to $460 a tonne including VAT on a CPT plant basis, Interfax-Ukraine reported, citing the weekly market review from Spike Brokers. The move made sunflower the clearest strengthening segment among the country’s main oilseeds and pointed to firmer demand from domestic crushing plants.
The price increase came as Ukraine exported almost no unprocessed sunflower seed. Shipments totaled 600 tonnes during 1-27 August, compared with 2,600 tonnes in the corresponding period of July. Sunflower oil exports fell by 42.5% to 131,300 tonnes from 228,400 tonnes, while sunflower meal exports moved in the opposite direction, rising by 28% to 83,100 tonnes from 64,900 tonnes. The figures indicate that available seed continued to move mainly through the domestic processing chain, although export performance differed sharply between oil and meal.
Rapeseed flows accelerate toward the EU
Rapeseed pricing showed a clear split between western exports and domestic processing. The price on an FCA Chop basis rose from $550 to $555 a tonne, while the CPT plant price declined from $485 to $480. Spike Brokers said the western export channel was receiving a larger premium, whereas port and domestic processing parity remained discounted.
Physical trade reinforced that signal. Ukraine exported 255,200 tonnes of rapeseed during 1-27 August, up from 11,800 tonnes in the comparable July period, a 21.6-fold increase. Rapeseed oil exports rose 4.6-fold to 69,400 tonnes from 15,200 tonnes. Germany bought 109,200 tonnes of rapeseed, the Netherlands 84,300 tonnes and the Czech Republic 25,100 tonnes. Together, those three markets accounted for about 86% of Ukraine’s August rapeseed exports, underlining the importance of the western route and EU demand.
Soybean spreads expose regional logistics divide
Soybean prices displayed the same geographical divergence. GMO soybean prices fell from $420 to $410 a tonne CPT port and from $425 to $400 CPT plant, but increased from $435 to $450 FCA Chop. For non-GMO soybeans, the CPT port price declined from $440 to $430, while the FCA Chop quotation rose from $470 to $475. The spread between FCA Chop and CPT plant GMO soybean prices widened from $10 to $50 a tonne. For non-GMO soybeans, the gap between FCA Chop and CPT port increased from $30 to $45.
Despite the stronger western-border quotations, soybean export volumes weakened. Ukraine shipped 27,100 tonnes of soybeans during 1-27 August, down 55.6% from the comparable July period. Soybean oil exports declined by 11% to 33,300 tonnes, while soybean meal shipments fell by 28.9% to 70,700 tonnes. Combined exports of soybeans, soybean oil and soybean meal dropped by 34% to 131,100 tonnes from 197,800 tonnes. For traders and processors, the weekly data show three distinct signals: stronger domestic competition for sunflower seed, a rapid seasonal expansion in rapeseed flows to European buyers, and widening soybean premiums for cargoes positioned at Ukraine’s western border.
