Problems continue for the Spanish countryside. Especially for the oil sector, one of the hardest hit throughout 2022. It all started with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is currently trading at 1,600 euros per ton. With regard to our country, the conflict left Spain without them every year, so it was time to look for alternatives.
The shortage caused the agri-food industry and, to a lesser extent, of others less harmful to health, such as soy or, of course, olive. Another measure carried out was to expand the planting of sunflowers with the aim of trying to alleviate the lack of sunflower oil imported from Ukraine, the main supplier of the national extractive industry, with national production.
The heat reduces the production of sunflower oil
Thus, according to data provided by Asaja Sevilla, the area dedicated to sunflowers has grown in Spain by more than 20%, going from 626,000 hectares to 750,000, of which almost 250,000 are in Andalusia. The Association of Young Farmers of the Andalusian capital assures that with regard to the province of Seville, the percentage increase is even greater. Farmers in the province have increased sunflower plantings by 30%, going from 99,000 hectares last season to 130,000 in the current one.
However, the inconveniences have not ceased and to all these problems that we have mentioned, another has been added in the form of a meteorological setback:. The heat has forced regions such as Seville, the first sunflower-producing province in the country, to move forward and start harvesting almost 130,000 hectares of this oilseed.
What does this mean? Well, the increase in planting areas will hardly have an effect, since the productivity of this campaign will be below average and will be insufficient to cover the entire national demand. Experts say that the heat stroke experienced at the beginning of June, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees, negatively affected the sunflower, which was at that time in full bloom and grain filling.
400,000 fewer tons of sunflower seeds
The harvests carried out in the first farms in Seville already confirm this. For example, in the case of dry land, the average that has been obtained so far is 1,000 kilos per hectare, while in irrigated land (smaller land) the average production is established at 3,000 kilos per hectare.
In conclusion, the first forecasts indicate that the significant increase in the area, that 20% that we mentioned, will cause an increase in national production of only 7.5% compared to last season. It is estimated that , an amount that will not be enough to satisfy the demand for sunflower seeds at the national level. Normally, 1.2 million tons of pipes are needed to supply the internal demand for sunflower oil and the consumption of cake destined for the formulation of feed.
Asaja’s technical services in Seville calculate that, while waiting for the pipe to start trading on the markets, and taking into account international prices, the standard sunflower pipe (the one with 9% humidity, 2% impurities and a 44% fat yield) should be around 800 euros per ton this year.
The European Commission strikes down aid for sunflowers
Farmers also live with great concern the decision of the European Commission to abolish, without prior notice, the associated aid that it had been providing for the production of sunflower and rapeseed for almost 20 years. The field requires the Ministry of Agriculture to react, since they believe that it is a “real blow” to the agrarian organizations.
And it is that this help is fundamental for the sector, since it has alleviated the recession of these protein crops of which Spain is deficient. From Asaja they demand that the Government renegotiate before the European Commission an item that amounts to 45 million euros. In case of not being able to maintain it, the farmers consider that the Ministry of Agriculture must get the Commission to authorize a slight overrun of the budget percentage foreseen for associated aid. In this way, sunflower could be included within the package of sectors and crops with associated aid and mitigate the blow.
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