Overall, exports of sunflower seeds flatlined in total value via an average -1.1% drop since 2020 when export sales for sunflower seeds came to $4.71 billion.
Year over year, export revenues shrank by -11% compared to $5.23 billion starting in 2023 for the dry but chewable snack that can be eaten raw, and roasted, salted or with added flavorings such as barbecue, pickle and ranch.
Sunflower plants are the national flower of Ukraine. Ukraine plus Russia generated only 3.4% of worldwide revenues from exported sunflower seeds in 2024, down from 7.7% for the prior year.
There are 2 major categories of commercially sold sunflower seeds, identifiable by the color of the seed husks. Seeds with solid black husks are typically pressed to extract sunflower oil. The other category has black-and-white striped husks are sometimes called confectionary sunflower seeds because they are mostly consumed as snack foods.
Sunflower seeds are also used as garnishes or are sprouted and used in salads.
The mechanically dehulled seed kernels are sometimes added to baked goods including bread for flavoring, or in hard sugar candy. Sunflower butter is a product resembling peanut butter and is a common substitute for consumers with nut allergies.
Sunflower seeds also serve as pet food or feed for wild birds and other small animals.
Major International Suppliers of Sunflower Seeds
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of sunflower seeds are mainland China, Romania, France, Bulgaria and Türkiye. Combined that quintet of major suppliers sold nearly two-thirds (63.4% of all sunflower seeds exported during 2024.
Applying a continental perspective, sellers based in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported sunflower seeds during 2024 with shipments valued at $3.1 billion or 66.7% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (27.4%) trailed by those in North America (4%), Latin America (1.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.7%), then Oceania’s (0.1%) Australia and New Zealand only.
Largest Buyers of Imported Sunflower Seeds
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of sunflower seeds in 2024 were Bulgaria, Netherlands, Romania, Russia and Spain. Combined, that subset of main import countries bought over one third (33.9%) of globally imported sunflower seeds as measured by dollar value.
The above percentages suggest the total 96 exporters of sunflower seeds (63.4% for the corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 174 buying countries, islands and territories. The 5 leading importers accounted for a smaller portion of the world total for imported sunflower seeds at 33.9% (compared to the 63.4% for the 5 leading export countries).
As for global imports of sunflower seeds by continent, more than two-thirds (70.2%) of sunflower seeds purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe ahead of importers in Asia (22.4%), North America (3.9%), Africa (2.3%), Latin America (0.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.2%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
We calculated the average unit price paid by importers of sunflower seeds as $915 per ton for 2024. That dollar amount results from a -31.4% reduction from the average tonnage rate of $1,334 for imported sunflower seeds one year earlier during 2023.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 120600 for sunflower seeds.
Top Sunflower Seeds Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of sunflower seeds during 2024.
- mainland China: US$819.5 million (17.6% of total exported sunflower seeds)
- Romania: $724.1 million (15.6%)
- France: $555 million (11.9%)
- Bulgaria: $506.9 million (10.9%)
- Türkiye: $346.5 million (7.4%)
- Moldova: $305.9 million (6.6%)
- Hungary: $245.2 million (5.3%)
- United States: $153.4 million (3.3%)
- Kazakhstan: $92.7 million (2%)
- Russia: $92.6 million (2%)
- Serbia: $82.6 million (1.8%)
- Spain: $80.4 million (1.7%)
- Austria: $79.7 million (1.7%)
- Slovakia: $76.5 million (1.6%)
- Ukraine: $65.2 million (1.4%)
- Italy: $57.3 million (1.2%)
- Germany: $52.8 million (1.1%)
- Croatia: $51.2 million (1.1%)
- Netherlands: $39.6 million (0.9%)
- Argentina: $32.7 million (0.7%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 95.8% of globally exported sunflower seeds in 2024.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing sunflower seeds exporters since 2023 were: Moldova (up 120.5%), Serbia (up 52.3%), Hungary (up 32.8%) and Türkiye (up 25.5%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported sunflower seeds sales were led by: Ukraine (down -76.5% from 2023), Spain (down -38%), Austria (down -36.9%), Bulgaria (down -32.8%) and Argentina (down -32.1%).
Top Sunflower Seeds Imports by Country
Worldwide spending on imported sunflower seeds slowed by -2.7% over the 5-year period starting in 2020 and dropped by -14.8% year-over-year reduction since 2023.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of sunflower seeds imported during 2024.
- Bulgaria: US$449.3 million (9.3% of total imported sunflower seeds)
- Netherlands: $320.4 million (6.6%)
- Romania: $316.5 million (6.5%)
- Russia: $282.8 million (5.8%)
- Spain: $274.4 million (5.7%)
- Germany: $254.9 million (5.3%)
- France: $236.9 million (4.9%)
- Ukraine: $214.8 million (4.4%)
- Türkiye: $208 million (4.3%)
- Hungary: $164.6 million (3.4%)
- Iraq: $137.1 million (2.8%)
- Iran: $134.6 million (2.8%)
- Austria: $131 million (2.7%)
- Kazakhstan: $121.4 million (2.5%)
- United States: $120.8 million (2.5%)
- Czech Republic: $110.1 million (2.3%)
- Italy: $100 million (2.1%)
- mainland China: $99.4 million (2%)
- Portugal: $90.5 million (1.9%)
- Belgium: $64.1 million (1.3%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 78.9% of total imported sunflower seeds in 2024.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing sunflower seeds importers since 2023 were: Iran (up 52.9%), Russia (up 22.6%), Bulgaria (up 16.4%) and Iraq (up 6.1%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported sunflower seeds purchases were led by: Türkiye (down -56.7% from 2023), mainland China (down -49%), Belgium (down -45.2%), Italy (down -38%) and France (down -34.2%).
Imported Sunflower Seeds: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices
In 2024, the world’s average unit price for imports of sunflower seeds was US$915 per ton deflating by -31.4% compared to a global average of $1,334 for 2023.
The average tonnage charge for the number one importer of sunflower seeds, Bulgaria, was $614 in 2024. Partly due to economies of scale, that dollar metric significantly less than the global average price specified in the above paragraph.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported sunflower seeds in 2024.
- Lesotho: US$28 per ton (down -3.4% from 2023)
- Burundi: $133 per ton (down -23.6%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $464 per ton (up 8.2%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $467 per ton (down -9.1%)
- Tanzania: $467 per ton (down -78.4%)
- Portugal: $498 per ton (down -8.5%)
- Czech Republic: $503 per ton (down -24.4%)
- Botswana: $519 per ton (down -77.4%)
- Italy: $529 per ton (down -25.9%)
- Namibia: $539 per ton (up 12.8%)
- Belgium: $545 per ton (down -41.5%)
- Eswatini: $559 per ton (no change)
- Senegal: $562 per ton (down -6.6%)
- Pakistan: $571 per ton (down -27.2%)
- India: $587 per ton (down -10.1%)
The greatest declines in average unit price paid per ton for sunflower seeds from 2023 to 2024 were paid by low-cost buyers in Tanzania (down -78.4%), Botswana (down -77.4%), Belgium (down -41.5%), Pakistan (down -27.2%) and Italy (down -25.9%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported sunflower seeds.
- Congo: US$16,308 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Mozambique: $14,531 per ton (up 25.5% from 2023)
- Djibouti: $11,375 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Ukraine: $10,348 per ton (up 32.5%)
- Ethiopia: $10,100 per ton (down -19.6%)
- Argentina: $9,224 per ton (up 17.1%)
- Uganda: $8,317 per ton (up 99.4%)
- Moldova: $8,140 per ton (up 162.7%)
- Myanmar: $8,063 per ton (up 14.3%)
- Bolivia: $7,204 per ton (down -18.6%)
- Japan: $5,986 per ton (down -16.5%)
- Zimbabwe: $5,284 per ton (down -6.2%)
- Angola: $5,169 per ton (down -37.8%)
- French Polynesia: $5,000 per ton (up 25%)
- Macao: $5,000 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
The greatest amounts of inflation in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2024 compared to 2023 were recorded by importers in Moldova (up 162.7%), Uganda (up 99.4%), Ukraine (up 32.5%), Mozambique (up 25.5%), French Polynesia (up 25%) and Argentina (up 17.1%).
See also Top Peanuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Almonds Exporters by Country, Top Cashews Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Pistachios Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Sunflower Seed Showroom. Accessed on July 18, 2025
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 18, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 18, 2025
Wikipedia, Sunflower seed. Accessed on July 18, 2025