The Sunflower Oil Market: What's Shifting in 2025

The sunflower oil market is quietly on the up with a very steady but relentless growth. Reports are saying it's going to hit around USD 24.7 billion by 2025, and to be honest, the projections beyond that which is USD 37.7 billion by 2032, look right on track given how demand has been developing. An alternate report has it reaching slightly higher ground, about USD 28.5 billion by 2025, and taking off to USD 36.4 billion by 2029. Various numbers, same tale: stable growth.

If you consider it, this rate makes sense. Food producers desire healthier oils. People examine labels more intently now. And lo and behold, sunflower oil isn't just remaining in the kitchen anymore because it's encroaching on biofuels and cosmetics. So the foundation demand is broadening.

And then there's price pressure. Prices in the U.S. for Q2 2025 hit USD 1,222 per MT, principally due to yield declines and complicated logistics. Those little things (freight expenses, weather issues) really do have an effect on the market quicker than anyone anticipates. For procurement managers and buyers, strategy rather than reaction is the game of choice.

Market segmentation

When you cut this market, three things jump out.

• By variety, you have linoleic, mid-oleic, and high-oleic sunflower oils. The latter one is picking up steam because it's more stable and durable when cooked, something food companies adore.
• Through use, uses extend far beyond the kitchen. Yes, there's your typical household and restaurant frying oil. But it's also appearing in snack food manufacture, dressings, bakery fats, cosmetics, and even renewable fuel mixtures. That kind of diversity provides the industry with some breathing room whenever food margins constrict.
• By distribution, it's a blend of retail, e-commerce, and bulk supply to the foodservice and industrial markets. Retail witnesses the brand battles. B2B receives the contract grind, where timing of delivery, packaging requirements, and purity levels will kill or win a deal.

For a person in distribution, the grade you're using informs you about nearly everything for your margins and risk. The high-oleic grades introduce more stability and higher remuneration. Linoleic is pure volume. The mid-oleic crowd is somewhere in between, steady but not as glamorous.

Regional Insights (Major Producers and Key Trade Flows)

When you consider where sunflower oil actually originates, the image's pretty straightforward. Russia and Ukraine still dominate. In 2024–2025, Ukraine accounted for approximately 4.4 million tons, and Russia closely trailed behind at 4.1 million tons (Data Pandas). Combined, they equaled well over half of the world's total supply, essentially the backbone of the market. The EU market added approximately 3.4 million tons, while Argentina added approximately 1.5 million tons.

Let's reverse it now. Who are these buyers of all this oil? India takes the lead here, importing approximately 3.1 billion kg (worth US$3.38 billion) in 2023, representing nearly 26 % of global sunflower oil imports (TrendEconomy). The European Union was far from behind, with imports amounting to 1.76 million tons worth approximately US$1.76 billion.

Exports say otherwise: Ukraine controlled approximately 51 % of global exports, with Russia controlling approximately 18 % (Volza). For suppliers, that implies sourcing continues to be about Eastern Europe, and import behemoths such as India and the EU will continue to guide global trade flows for a long while.

Supply chain and trade insights 

Here's where it gets serious for wholesalers and distributors:

• Yields & crop conditions: Area planted in major producing countries (e.g. Russia) during 2025 is creating scope for higher production, provided weather remains favorable. Rainfall pauses or poor harvests (e.g. within the Ukraine) are still a risk. 
• Export restrictions & logistics: Shipping, port bans, export quotas, and trade policy changes are impacting supplies of sunflower oil. For instance, Black Sea corridor disruptions impact exports.
• Price volatility: Higher freight, higher input costs (seed, processing, energy), and constricted supplies are fueling price spikes. Q2 2025 indicates extreme regional price difference.
• Substitution & competition: When sunflower oil prices get too expensive or supply too tight, consumers substitute in another oil (palm, soybean). That means sunflower oil suppliers have to remain competitive.
• So for someone in the business: you should be considering more than one origin, creating flexibility, handling lead-times and inventory, knowing quality specs (oleic grade, cold-pressed vs refined) and including the trade/logistics risk.

Retailers and makers now pay closer attention to what actually sells, not just what’s hyped. It’s the only way to price right and plan ahead. Some buying habits disappear overnight; others stay long enough to reshape the shelf. Either way, understanding the mood of the market allows you to be ahead of the curve and not reacting too late.

Health & Wellness Mindset

They now want oils that "feel good" to consume. Maybe it's lighter, cleaner, and somehow healthier for the body. They're cutting saturated fats and choosing those that are rich in good fats. That's why mid-oleic and high-oleic sunflower oils are coming into the picture. Health sells, it seems. Retailers who emphasize those aspects tend to have repeat customers.

Rise of Premium & Specialty Oils

Essentially, plain sunflower oil no longer does the trick for everybody. People like products that have a certain cachet such as organic, cold-pressed, non-GMO, or high-oleic. It's status, partly quality. Producers like them also for shelf life. Distributors who invest in premium lines make higher margins, but maintaining that quality level? That is the true challenge.

Sustainability & Traceability Talk

In some way or another, sustainability became a real purchasing driver from a marketing hype. Consumers inquire about the origin of seeds, the way farms produce, even carbon footprint. Europe's market, for example, insists on traceability as business as usual. Retailers with clean sourcing and trustworthy supplier information at hand have a competitive advantage, trust is what sells today.

Growing Food-Service & Industrial Demand

This isn't just about in-home kitchens. Quick-service restaurants, snack food manufacturers, and large processors are huge purchasers. They require a steady, high-volume oil supply for frying and product consistency. Essentially, the size of demand is industrial. Wholesalers with skills in bulk packaging, contract reliability, and speed of delivery win most of these long-term contracts.

Price Sensitivity & Substitution Pressure

Price remains the king. When sunflower oil becomes costly, a lot of the customers switch over to palm oil, soybean oil, or whatever is cheaper that week. That's simply how markets work. Dealers who pay attention to these changes can remain ahead. Providing consistent prices, terms that are flexible, or more value prevents customers from switching when prices fluctuate.

Recent trends are changing the way sunflower oil travels and how purchasers schedule. Russia's Rusagro started loading sunflower oil from St. Petersburg Baltic terminal in March 2025, a direct effort to ship around Black Sea restrictions and arrive sooner at destinations such as India.

While that was happening, India's import pulse contracted at the beginning of 2025: February edible-oil imports recorded a four-year low, with sunflower-oil imports declining around 20.8% compared to January (≈228,275 tonnes), sending inventories to a three-year low. That decline is significant, less inventory, more need to purchase in the future.

Policy also acted swiftly. In June 2025, New Delhi made a move to cut the Basic Customs Duty on crude edible oils (also, crude sunflower oil) right down to 10% from 20%. This is a one year move designed to take the heat out of retail prices and also shake up the maths for how much it costs refiners & importers to bring these oils into the country. How will margins change? Look for renegotiations.

Weather also punched the market: droughts in Bulgaria and Ukraine helped to cause stinging supply tightness, with reports citing sunflower-oil price spikes (one analysis referenced a 56% increase tied to those dry conditions). That's a reminder: climate risk is now a line item on the procurement budget.

On the demand side, things are shaping up to make high-oleic varieties more attractive to crushers & farmers who know that by going with these, they can get a better shelf life and some much needed frying stability. Some suppliers are moving their product over into cosmetics and industrial uses in an effort to spread their risk a bit. For distributors, expect to see more origin-shifting, tariff induced price swings, and the odd price spike, so make sure you're hedging those contracts and asking your suppliers where exactly their oil came from.

The sunflower oil industry is stable but always changing. Prices vary, demand increases, and supply chains adapt. For the traders, the coming years seem auspicious.

Premium Grading and Niche Positioning

Consumers are beginning to pursue quality more than ever. Sunflower oils in their high-oleic, organic, and non-GMO forms reside in that "premium but utilitarian" sweet spot. These types offer greater stability and health perception, equating to greater margins. For distributors, it's a slight move with high return, the label matters when consumers actually read what's there.

Emerging Markets and Growing Consumption

Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa are fast catching up. There is growing consumption as diets become more varied and incomes improve. Infrastructure is only in development, so early-entering distributors can establish long-term presence. Essentially, while Europe stabilizes, it is where the real growth is taking place quietly. The opportunity is palpable, not abstract.

Supply-Chain Diversification

Somehow, one origin is no longer enough. Weather strikes, ports clog, policies change overnight. The smart players today source from several nations such as Russia, Ukraine, Argentina, even smaller producers in the EU. Backup channels and flexible agreements are not a choice anymore; it's a matter of survival. The ones who diversify at an early stage remain profitable while the rest scramble. 

Value-Added and Integrated Services

Apparently, merely selling oil won't cut it. Packagers providing certifications, private-labeling services, or distributors that specialize in storage solutions make it. Consider traceability tags, storage solutions, or pre-filled bulk supply. Shoppers desire dependability packaged with ease. The companies that can fill the gap between retail and production have better margins control and last longer in the buyer's shortlist.

1. MANZARO – Ukraine

Manzaro is that rare supplier that gets it absolutely right. With their headquarters in Ukraine, they've established a strong reputation based on consistency and clean production. Their high-end sunflower oil, marketed under brands such as Bonlife and FryDays, is distributed to over 50 countries. Essentially, if you need consistent supply, actual quality, and traceable origins, Manzaro is a name you should commit to memory.

👉 Contact Supplier

2. DEVADEX B.V – Ukraine

DEVADEX B.V combines quality with flexibility. They have polished sunflower oil, Aptamil organic baby milk, and other food staples in their product range. In some way or another, they maintain fair prices without compromising. In the case of retailers or wholesale buyers, that's a big deal. They've established trust by being responsive, efficient, and committed to ensuring their clients' businesses are running smoothly.

👉 Contact Supplier

3. LLC MEZ YUG RUSI – Russia

LLC MEZ YUG RUSI, or Golden Seed, is more than 30 years old. They're a top sunflower oil producer in Russia and have heavily invested in sustainability. Their portfolio varies from sunflower protein to roasted seeds and condiments. Apparently, experience and sustainability fuel their company. They don't simply export oil—export reliability.

👉 Contact Supplier