A decline in sunflower oil production is expected next year.

      The main reason for the reduction in production is linked to worsening climatic conditions in spring and summer 2025, Izvestia writes, citing a study by the Center for Price Indices (CPI). Spring frosts and a dry summer negatively affected the sunflower harvest, the main crop for oil production. As of November 2025, the gross sunflower harvest amounted to 16.5 million tonnes, which is 3.5% less than in the previous season.

      In addition to the low yield, processing plants are experiencing difficulties with the quality of raw materials. The oil content of sunflowers is deteriorating: instead of the standard 46% oil content, farmers are supplying products with levels of 41–45%, which significantly affects production efficiency.

      For many oil producers, the cost of production has increased: expenses for electricity, transportation and equipment have risen by 20% over the past year. Some major market players, such as Rusagro, have already reported temporary shutdowns of production, which led to a 23% reduction in oil output in the third quarter of 2025.

      The Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to reassure the public, claiming that current stocks and the harvest will be sufficient to meet domestic needs and continue exports. Although the forecasted sunflower harvest has decreased, the total volume of oilseed crops amounts to roughly 31 million tonnes, including about 17 million tonnes of sunflower seeds.

      It is important to note that, despite the decline in production volumes, prices for sunflower oil have shown moderate growth thanks to a state regulatory mechanism — an export dampener. Thanks to this measure the average retail price per liter of oil for January–October 2025 amounted to 151 rubles, which is 15% higher than a year earlier.

      Nevertheless, the industry faces serious challenges related to rising costs, a shortage of quality raw materials and a lack of investment in the modernization of technological processes. To cope with these problems, scaling up production capacity and implementing innovative solutions aimed at optimizing the processing workflow and minimizing losses will be required.