Argentina harvested a record sunseed crop in the MY 2026/27, estimated at 6.8–8 mln tons. USDA puts production at 6.8 mln tons, while Oil World estimates it at 8 mln tons. This represents a 23–45% increase from the previous season. Argentina’s share of global sunseed production has reached 12.8%, making it the world’s third-largest producer after Russia and Ukraine.
Higher production has allowed Argentina to significantly strengthen its position in the global sunflower oil market, particularly in India. During the comparable period cited, Argentina overtook Ukraine in sunflower oil shipments to India for the first time, supplying 530 thsd tons compared with Ukraine’s 344 thsd tons. This highlights growing competition among major sunflower oil exporters in one of the world’s largest import markets.
Argentina’s share of global sunflower oil exports increased from 7% in 2016/17 to 13% in 2026/27. Its expanding export presence is supported by abundant raw material supplies and competitive prices. Argentine sunflower oil is offered to India at $1,250–1,300/t CIF Mumbai, making it attractive to local importers.
Another advantage of Argentine sunflower oil is its quality. According to the reported data, Argentine oil has an average acid value of 0.45 mg KOH/g, compared with 0.66 mg KOH/g for oil from Russia’s Kuban region. The combination of a record harvest, competitive prices, and favorable quality characteristics is strengthening Argentina’s position in the global market and increasing competition for Ukrainian exporters, particularly in India.
Tags: sunseed, Argentina, crop forecast
