According to data from the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, sunflower processing reached a historic record of 487,541 tons in July, significantly surpassing the previous high of 402,141 tons recorded in July 2023.

Of the total production, 45% was used for oil, 44% for pellets, and the remainder for other by-products. This marks the third consecutive month in which the industry has achieved the highest processing volumes in the last decade.

From January to July 2025, cumulative sunflower processing totaled 2.72 million tons, another record that exceeds the 2023 figure by 10%.

Rising Sunflower Exports

The strong industrial performance translated into foreign trade: during the first half of the year, the sunflower agro-industrial complex generated USD 1.2085 billion, according to the Argentine Agro-Industrial Council (CAA). This represents a 2.9% year-on-year increase, with a notable 51.4% surge in July and a cumulative growth of 44.7% compared to the previous year.

The main by-products showed the following trends:

• Crude sunflower oil: 778,762 tons exported (+22.5% year-on-year), accounting for nearly 70% of the complex’s revenue.
• Meal, flour, and pellets: 819,039 tons (+18.7%).
• Other sunflower oil (n.e.s.): 71,686 tons (+74.6%).
• Sunflower seeds: 100,000 tons (+132%).
• Refined sunflower oil: 36,253 tons, with a decline of 21.9%.
• Seeds for sowing: 799 tons, down 37.7%.

In total, sunflower products accounted for 4.4% of agro-industrial exports in July, equivalent to USD 209.6 million.

Sunflower: A Strategic Sector for Agriculture

Crude oil represents nearly 70% of the sunflower complex’s contribution, reinforcing Argentina’s position as the world’s fourth-largest exporter of this product. The performance achieved in the first six months of the year underscores the strategic role of the sunflower complex in both production and the agro-industrial trade balance.