Exports of sunflower seeds grew in value by an average 17.4% since 2019 when export sales for sunflower seeds came to $4.43 billion.
From 2022 to 2023, export revenues shrank by -23.7% compared to $6.82 billion starting in 2022 for the dry but chewable snack that can be eaten raw, and roasted, salted or with added flavorings such as barbecue, pickle and ranch.
Sunflower plants are the national flower of Ukraine. Ukraine plus Russia generated only 7.7% of worldwide revenues from exported sunflower seeds in 2023.
There are 2 major categories of commercially sold sunflower seeds, identifiable by the color of the seed husks. Seeds with solid black husks are typically pressed to extract sunflower oil. The other category has black-and-white striped husks are sometimes called confectionary sunflower seeds because they are mostly consumed as snack foods.
Sunflower seeds are also used as garnishes or are sprouted and used in salads.
The mechanically dehulled seed kernels are sometimes added to baked goods including bread for flavoring, or in hard sugar candy. Sunflower butter is a product resembling peanut butter and is a common substitute for consumers with nut allergies.
Sunflower seeds also serve as pet food or feed for wild birds and other small animals.
Major International Suppliers of Sunflower Seeds
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of sunflower seeds are Romania, mainland China, Bulgaria, France and Ukraine. Combined that quintet of major suppliers sold nearly two-thirds (63.7% of all sunflower seeds exported during 2023.
Applying a continental perspective, sellers in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported sunflower seeds during 2023 with shipments valued at $3.65 billion or 70.1% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (23.7%) trailed by those in North America (3.9%), Latin America (1.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.7%), then Oceania (0.04%) mostly Australia.
Largest Buyers of Imported Sunflower Seeds
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of sunflower seeds in 2023 were Türkiye, Spain, Netherlands, Bulgaria and France. Combined, that subset of main import countries bought over one third (35.2%) of globally imported sunflower seeds as measured by dollar value.
The above percentages suggest the total 98 exporters of sunflower seeds (63.7% for the corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 180 buying countries, islands and territories. The 5 leading importers accounted for a smaller portion of its world total for imported sunflower seeds at 35.2% (compared to the 63.7% for the 5 leading exporters).
As for global imports of sunflower seeds by continent, more than two-thirds (68.3%) of sunflower seeds purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe ahead of importers in Asia (25.1%), North America (3.9%), Africa (1.6%), Latin America (1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.2%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
We calculated the average unit price paid by importers of sunflower seeds as $1,334 per ton for 2023. That dollar amount reflects 3.9% in inflation from the average tonnage rate of $1,284 for imported sunflower seeds one year earlier during 2022.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 120600 for sunflower seeds.
Top Sunflower Seeds Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of sunflower seeds during 2023.
- Romania: US$884.9 million (17% of total exported sunflower seeds)
- mainland China: $827.6 million (15.9%)
- Bulgaria: $754.4 million (14.5%)
- France: $567.8 million (10.9%)
- Ukraine: $277.7 million (5.3%)
- Türkiye: $276.2 million (5.3%)
- Hungary: $184.6 million (3.5%)
- United States: $170.8 million (3.3%)
- Moldova: $138.7 million (2.7%)
- Spain: $129.7 million (2.5%)
- Russia: $124 million (2.4%)
- Austria: $121 million (2.3%)
- Kazakhstan: $119.4 million (2.3%)
- Slovakia: $103.3 million (2%)
- Germany: $62.8 million (1.2%)
- Serbia: $54.2 million (1%)
- Italy: $53.7 million (1%)
- Argentina: $48.2 million (0.9%)
- Poland: $42 million (0.8%)
- Croatia: $41.6 million (0.8%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 95.8% of globally exported sunflower seeds in 2023.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing sunflower seeds exporters since 2022 were: Bulgaria (up 4.1%), Italy (up 1.5%), United States of America (up -10.4%) and Serbia (up -14%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported sunflower seeds sales were led by: Ukraine (down -78% from 2022), Moldova (down -58.8%), Argentina (down -39.6%), Kazakhstan (down -30.4%) and Poland (down -29.7%).
Top Sunflower Seeds Imports by Country
Worldwide spending on imported sunflower seeds grew by 28% over the 5-year period starting in 2019 but dropped via -23.8% year-over-year reduction since 2022.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of sunflower seeds imported during 2023.
- Türkiye: US$480.5 million (8.3% of total imported sunflower seeds)
- Spain: $410 million (7.1%)
- Netherlands: $392.5 million (6.8%)
- Bulgaria: $386.1 million (6.7%)
- France: $359.4 million (6.2%)
- Romania: $308 million (5.3%)
- Germany: $279 million (4.8%)
- Hungary: $247.8 million (4.3%)
- Ukraine: $232.3 million (4%)
- Russia: $230.6 million (4%)
- mainland China: $194.8 million (3.4%)
- Italy: $161.2 million (2.8%)
- Austria: $146.3 million (2.5%)
- United States: $144.2 million (2.5%)
- Kazakhstan: $136.5 million (2.4%)
- Czech Republic: $130 million (2.3%)
- Iraq: $127.5 million (2.2%)
- Belgium: $116.9 million (2%)
- Iran: $114.7 million (2%)
- Portugal: $107.4 million (1.9%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 81.8% of total imported sunflower seeds in 2023.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing sunflower seeds importers since 2022 were: mainland China (up 65.7%), France (up 56.9%), Iraq (up 28.6%) and Kazakhstan (up 13.7%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported sunflower seeds purchases were led by: Bulgaria (down -61.9% from 2022), Portugal (down -54.7%), Hungary (down -53.6%), Romania (down -42.8%) and Austria (down -29.8%).
Imported Sunflower Seeds: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices
In 2023, the world’s average unit price for imports of sunflower seeds was US$1,334 per ton inflating by 3.9% compared to a global average of $1,284 for 2022.
The average tonnage charge for the number one importer of sunflower seeds, Türkiye, was $644 in 2023. Partly due to economies of scale, that dollar metric is less than half of the global average price specified in the above paragraph.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported sunflower seeds in 2023.
- Lesotho: US$29 per ton (down -95.3% from 2022)
- Burundi: $248 per ton (up 178.7%)
- Democratic Republic Congo: $286 per ton (down -71.4%)
- Tajikistan: $411 per ton (down -7%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $456 per ton (up 11.2%)
- Namibia: $478 per ton (down -44.4%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $514 per ton (down -26.5%)
- Kazakhstan: $525 per ton (down -6.1%)
- Portugal: $544 per ton (down -31.5%)
- Eswatini: $559 per ton (down -38.5%)
- Bulgaria: $587 per ton (down -22.5%)
- Senegal: $602 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Netherlands: $605 per ton (down -28.8%)
- South Africa: $623 per ton (down -4.4%)
- Ivory Coast: $632 per ton (down -32.6%)
The greatest declines in average unit price paid per ton for sunflower seeds from 2022 to 2023 were paid by low-cost buyers in Lesotho (down -95.3%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (down -71.4%), Namibia (down -44.4%), Eswatini (down -38.5%) and Ivory Coast (down -32.6%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported sunflower seeds.
- Mozambique: US$16,692 per ton (up 27,264% from 2022)
- Angola: $16,457 per ton (up 1143%)
- Ethiopia: $12,556 per ton (up 41.4%)
- Bolivia: $8,849 per ton (down -3.6%)
- Ukraine: $8,084 per ton (down -13.2%)
- Argentina: $7,878 per ton (down -6.2%)
- Mauritius: $7,510 per ton (up 392.1%)
- Japan: $7,165 per ton (up 106.2%)
- Myanmar: $7,055 per ton (up 595.1%)
- Madagascar: $7,000 per ton (up 16.7%)
- Serbia: $5,796 per ton (up 128.6%)
- Zimbabwe: $5,634 per ton (up 10%)
- Macao: $5,000 per ton (down -28.6%)
- Sudan: $4,981 per ton (down -20.4%)
- Bermuda: $4,429 per ton (down -1.6%)
The greatest amounts of inflation in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2023 compared to 2022 were recorded by importers in Mozambique (up 27,264%), Angola (up 1,143%), Myanmar (up 595.1%), Mauritius (up 392.1%) and Serbia (up 128.6%).
See also Top Peanuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Almonds Exporters by Country, Top Cashews Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Pistachios Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Sunflower Seed Showroom. Accessed on September 8, 2024
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on September 8, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 8, 2024
Wikipedia, Sunflower seed. Accessed on September 8, 2024