Kernel has significantly increased oilseed processing volumes and experienced… a shortage of raw materials
28 January 18:56
One of the factories of sunflower oil producer Kernel shut down in January 2025 due to a shortage of raw materials in the Ukrainian market. This was reported by Ekonomichna Pravda with reference to the company’s report for the second quarter of the fiscal year, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
“Due to the limited supply of sunflower seeds on the market, three Kernel plants processed other oilseeds, including 93 thousand tons of soybeans and 14 thousand tons of rapeseed. However, in January 2025, one of the plants was forced to stop working due to a shortage of raw materials,” the statement said.
It is also reported that in this quarter of 2025 fiscal year, Kernel processed 973 thousand tons of oilseeds, which is 20% more than in the same period last year.
Oilseed exports increased by 52% quarter-on-quarter and by 11% year-on-year, reaching 408 thousand tons. This growth was driven by an increase in processing volumes. Bottled oil accounted for 26 thousand tons of this volume.
What about all-Ukrainian exports?
In 2024, sunflower oil became the leader in Ukrainian exports. According to the Ministry of Economy, sunflower oil was exported for more than $5 billion. Other export leaders include the following agro-processed products:
sunflower meal – exports worth over $1 billion
poultry meat – by $945 million
sugar – by $408 million;
soybean oil – by $311 mln.
What is the forecasted sunflower harvest?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has increased the estimate of sunflower production and its processed products in Ukraine in 2024/25. It is reported by Agroportal with reference to the December USDA report.
Thus, the sunflower harvest is forecasted at 12.9 mln tonnes, up 0.4 mln tonnes from the previous estimate. According to the experts, Ukraine will produce 5.398 mln tonnes of sunflower oil in 2024/25 MY (plus 172 thsd tonnes), of which 5 mln tonnes (plus 175 thsd tonnes) will be exported.
The production of sunflower meal will reach 5.183 mln tonnes (up 165 thsd tonnes), while the exports are forecasted at 4.1 mln tonnes (up 175 thsd tonnes).
