Global exports of sunflower seeds were valued at US$5.38 billion in 2025, reflecting strong international demand for this versatile agricultural commodity.

Compared with US$4.71 billion in 2021, worldwide sunflower seed exports increased by approximately 14.2% over the past five years. On a year-over-year basis, export revenue climbed 15.6%, rising from US$4.65 billion in 2024.

Sunflower seeds are enjoyed around the world as a nutritious snack that can be eaten raw, roasted, salted, or seasoned with popular flavors such as barbecue, dill pickle, and ranch. Beyond snack foods, sunflower seeds are also widely used in food processing, edible oil production, baking, and animal feed.

Although the sunflower is recognized as the national flower of Ukraine, exports from Ukraine and Russia together represented only 2.8% of global sunflower seed export value in 2025, down from 3.4% a year earlier.

Commercially traded sunflower seeds are generally divided into two categories. Black-hulled seeds are primarily processed to produce sunflower oil, while black-and-white striped varieties, commonly known as confectionery sunflower seeds, are mainly sold for direct human consumption as snack products.

In addition to snack foods, sunflower seeds are frequently used as salad toppings, sprouted for fresh vegetables, incorporated into breads and baked goods, blended into confectionery products, and processed into sunflower seed butter, a popular alternative to peanut butter for consumers with nut allergies. They are also commonly used in bird feed and pet food formulations.

Leading Exporters of Sunflower Seeds

In 2025, the world's largest exporters of sunflower seeds by export value were Mainland China, Romania, Bulgaria, France, and Moldova. Together, these five suppliers generated 65.1% of total global sunflower seed exports, demonstrating the highly concentrated nature of international supply.

From a regional perspective, Europe dominated global exports with shipments worth US$3.64 billion, accounting for 67.7% of worldwide export value. Asia ranked second with 26.8%, followed by Latin America (excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean) at 2.7%, North America (2%), Africa (0.8%), and Oceania (0.03%), primarily represented by Australia and New Zealand.

Largest Importers of Sunflower Seeds

On the import side, Türkiye, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, and Germany were the five largest buyers of sunflower seeds in 2025. Combined, these countries accounted for 39.4% of global import value.

The global trade structure highlights a notable difference between exporters and importers. While only 99 countries exported sunflower seeds in 2025, imports were distributed across 173 countries and territories. The top five exporting countries controlled 65.1% of worldwide exports, whereas the five leading importing markets represented a smaller 39.4% share of total imports, indicating that global demand is spread across a much broader range of markets.

By continent, Europe remained the largest destination for imported sunflower seeds, purchasing 60% of total global imports. Asia followed with 32.3%, while North America accounted for 3.6%. Africa represented 3% of global imports, followed by Latin America (excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean) at 1%, and Oceania at 0.2%, led by Australia and New Zealand.

Average Import Price of Sunflower Seeds

The average global import price for sunflower seeds reached US$989 per metric ton in 2025. This represented an 8.6% increase compared with the average import price of US$911 per ton recorded in 2024, reflecting firmer international pricing during the year.

HS Code for Sunflower Seeds

For customs classification and international trade analysis, sunflower seeds are identified under the 6-digit Harmonized System (HS) code 120600, which covers sunflower seeds for commercial trade and customs reporting.

Top Sunflower Seeds Exports by Company

According to tendata export data, these are the top 10 Sunflower Seeds Exporters in 2025: >>Find More Exporters via Tendata

1.VITERRA B V(9.49%, $1007.19 Million)

2.GREEN SEED TRADING DMCC(9.12%, $967.56 Million)

3.LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY(4.59%, $486.76 Million)

4.GITC PTE LTD(4.47%, $474.3 Million)

5.SONA OILS PTE LTD(3.83%, $406 Million)

6.OLAM GLOBAL AGRI PTE LTD(3.06%, $325.15 Million)

7.INERCO TRADE SA(3.06%, $324.62 Million)

8.COFCO RESOURCES SA(2.89%, $306.14 Million)

9.MAGRI DMCC(2.45%, $259.53 Million)

10.ТОВ КЕРНЕЛ ТРЕЙД(2.12%, $224.49 Million)\

Top Sunflower Seeds Imports by Company

According to tendata import data, these are the top 10 Sunflower Seeds Importers in 2025: >>Find More Importers via Tendata

1.GEMINI EDIBLES AND FATS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED(11.99%, $1271.88 Million)

2.ADANI WILMAR LIMITED(11.12%, $1179.64 Million)

3.KALEESUWARI REFINERY PRIVATE LIMITED(8.4%, $891.1 Million)

4.MK AGROTECH PRIVATE LIMITED(7.7%, $816.98 Million)

5.KALEESUWARI AGRO INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED(5.83%, $618.98 Million)

6.LOHIYA EDIBLE OILS PVT LTD(4.73%, $501.91 Million)

7.GLENCORE GRAIN INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED(4.29%, $455.02 Million)

8.K T V HEALTH FOOD PVT LTD(3.09%, $328.4 Million)

9.RUCHI SOYA INDUSTRIES LTD(2.67%, $283.63 Million)

10.SUNRAJA OIL INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED(2.44%, $259.42 Million)

Top Sunflower Seeds Exporters by Country in 2025

The following countries recorded the highest export revenues from sunflower seeds in 2025, based on total shipment value.

1. Mainland China — US$936.7 million (17.4% of global exports)

2. Romania — US$930.1 million (17.3%)

3. Bulgaria — US$751.4 million (14%)

4. France — US$453.4 million (8.4%)

5. Moldova — US$431.7 million (8%)

6. Türkiye — US$360.4 million (6.7%)

7. Hungary — US$214.1 million (4%)

8. Argentina — US$128.7 million (2.4%)

9. Kazakhstan — US$122.8 million (2.3%)

10. Spain — US$121.1 million (2.3%)

11. Serbia — US$97.1 million (1.8%)

12. Russia — US$95 million (1.8%)

13. Austria — US$93.9 million (1.7%)

14. Slovakia — US$93.5 million (1.7%)

15. United States — US$72.3 million (1.3%)

16. Croatia — US$69 million (1.3%)

17. Germany — US$55.8 million (1%)

18. Ukraine — US$53.1 million (1%)

19. Poland — US$39 million (0.7%)

20. Italy — US$38.1 million (0.7%)

Collectively, these 20 exporting countries generated 95.9% of global sunflower seed export value in 2025, illustrating the high concentration of international supply among a relatively small group of producers.

Several exporters achieved remarkable growth compared with 2024. Argentina recorded the strongest performance, with exports surging 293.6% year over year. It was followed by Spain (+50.6%), Bulgaria (+48.4%), and Moldova (+41.1%), all of which significantly expanded their export sales.

Conversely, some exporters experienced weaker performance. The United States posted the steepest decline, with export value falling 52.8% from the previous year. Other countries reporting notable decreases included Italy (-33.3%), Ukraine (-18.5%), France (-18.3%), and Hungary (-4.4%).

Top Sunflower Seeds Importers by Country in 2025

Global imports of sunflower seeds totaled US$5.33 billion in 2025. Compared with US$5 billion in 2021, worldwide import spending increased by 6% over the five-year period. On a year-over-year basis, imports grew 10.6%, rising from US$4.82 billion in 2024.

The leading import markets for sunflower seeds in 2025 were:

1. Türkiye — US$886.1 million (16.6% of global imports)

2. Romania — US$322.5 million (6.1%)

3. Bulgaria — US$315.5 million (5.9%)

4. Spain — US$290.8 million (5.5%)

5. Germany — US$285.5 million (5.4%)

6. France — US$257 million (4.8%)

7. Hungary — US$226.2 million (4.2%)

8. Netherlands — US$180.7 million (3.4%)

9. Ukraine — US$160.4 million (3%)

10. Iraq — US$157.5 million (3%)

11. Russia — US$150.6 million (2.8%)

12. Czech Republic — US$144.2 million (2.7%)

13. Kazakhstan — US$138.8 million (2.6%)

14. United States — US$128 million (2.4%)

15. Italy — US$122.1 million (2.3%)

16. Austria — US$121.2 million (2.3%)

17. Portugal — US$93.9 million (1.8%)

18. Belgium — US$84 million (1.6%)

19. Mainland China — US$72 million (1.4%)

20. United Kingdom — US$69.4 million (1.3%)

Together, these 20 countries accounted for 78.9% of global sunflower seed import value in 2025, making them the dominant purchasing markets worldwide.

Among the major importers, Türkiye delivered the most outstanding growth, with imports soaring 326% compared with 2024. Hungary followed with a 45.6% increase, while both the Czech Republic and Belgium expanded their imports by 30.9%.

In contrast, several countries reduced their sunflower seed purchases during the year. Russia experienced the sharpest decline, with imports dropping 46.7%. Other significant decreases were recorded by the Netherlands (-44%), Bulgaria (-29.8%), Mainland China (-27.6%), and Ukraine (-25.4%), reflecting weaker demand or changing sourcing patterns in those markets.